What Pictures of Kittens Say About You

They are everywhere – or at least on the internet. It’s the pictures, videos, and memes of kittens seen and shared by virtually everyone with an internet connection. It may seem silly, but, for British researcher Kate Miltner, the subject is serious, and it became the subject of her master’s degree. Based on the case of two humor sites, 9Gag and I Can Haz Cheezburger, known for propagating this type of joke, Kate investigated the phenomenon of memes – those images, generally humorous, that may or may not contain text and that are quickly spread across the network.

She discovered that these sympathetic pieces of humor have a social function that goes beyond leisure. According to Kate, by sharing and consuming memes – whether of kittens or with other characters – we are satisfying primary needs such as the expression of emotions and the desire to belong to groups. Understanding the grace in certain montages is also a sign of belonging to a group and mastering a specific knowledge. Using memes, we are even capable of maintaining entire dialogues: one person posts a certain image on another’s page, who responds with another, and so on.

That’s why when someone sends you a photo of a kitten with a heart-shaped balloon, you can get emotional: it’s a way for the person to say they like you.