Annabel Brooks

Author: Annabel Brooks | Major: Political Science & Psychology | Semester: Fall 2023

I’m a senior in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences majoring in political science and psychology. I am conducting research in the department of political science under Dr. Patrick Stewart. In my first semester of research, we have been preparing a study that analyzes how participants react to political memes. In the spring semester of 2024, I will analyze the results from the study, defend my thesis, and graduate. I hope to eventually earn my Ph.D. and become a college professor.

This study will include political memes relevant to the 2024 presidential election and will assess the importance of political memes in modern elections. This study will take place on the online platform Prolific which pays individuals to participate in online studies. We will record participants’ facial reactions while viewing memes and they will answer survey questions regarding how they would share the meme on social media. Some research has been conducted on sharing behavior related to political memes but there is no known research that uses the Facial Action Coding System to evaluate facial reactions to political memes. Further research on this topic may illuminate how internet memes play a role in partisan ideology, polarization, campaign strategy, and elections. This research topic is relevant because the creation of the internet and social media in recent decades has introduced new benefits and challenges to politics. Candidates and political groups have begun using social media strategies to reach voters. This tactic could be especially important for younger voters, digital natives, or those who engage in political discourse online.

I met Dr. Stewart while taking Political Psychology in Fall 2022. After considering a variety of research trajectories for my thesis, we decided on memes and humor. Dr. Stewart pushed me to take an online class where I could learn the Facial Action Coding System. I passed the facial coding certification test and am now able to code facial behavior. Being a certified FACS coder will be crucial for this project and open doors for future projects as well. In this first semester of funded research, I have learned about humor theories, social psychology, social media behavior, and the origin of memes. The most difficult thing I’ve had to learn thus far is unrelated to the topic of my project; I have had to learn the steps in the research process. I have received guidance from peers and faculty that has helped me through the process of earning funding, gaining IRB approval, applying to conferences, etc. My faculty mentor has helped guide me through steps in the research process, given career advice, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and made sure the project was on track. Other students and faculty have also helped me with this project. I have received advice and assistance from professors in the psychology, business, and political science departments.

This spring, I’m planning to attend the Midwestern Political Science Association Conference where I’ve been approved to present in the undergraduate poster session. After a gap year of travel and applying to schools, I will attend grad school and later a Ph.D. program (hopefully). In the future, I hope to do research in the fields of political science/psychology and become an educator.

Without the funding from the Honors College, I could not have aimed for such a comprehensive project. Funding will be needed to compensate participants, pay the online survey platform, and help me attend the upcoming conference in Chicago. I am extremely grateful that the Honors College has allowed me to do a project that will further my knowledge, my future career, and research in the field of political psychology.