I Sang, Therefore I am! Uses and Gratifications of Self-Mocking Memes and the Effects on Psychological Well-Being

Sang (丧) culture is a youth subculture that has emerged in recent China. Through the lens of self-mocking memes, this exploratory study attempts to understand the psychological mechanisms and social meanings behind sang culture. A survey research of Chinese college students (N=506) were conducted to examine the uses and gratifications of self-mocking memes on social media. Six gratifications were identified. Two individual traits – the need for humor and narcissism – were found partially related to self-mocking meme usage. By considering self-mockery as an alternative form of self-presentation, this study challenged the pervasive self-enhancement hypothesis. On China's social media, self-mocking memes were used as both a self-protection strategy (intra-personal) and a social strategy (interpersonal). This study found a mixed effect of self-mocking meme usage on Chinese youths' psychological well-being: it was positively related to the harmonious interpersonal relationship while negatively related to self-acceptance.