At this point, you’re likely familiar with the standard five types of love languages: gift-giving, acts of service, physical touch, quality time, and words of affirmation. And while most of us communicate our feelings and receive love via one (or a few) of these modes, there’s also a sixth love language that’s becoming more popular: memes.
If you’re the type of person who sees something hilarious on Instagram and immediately taps the little airplane icon to send it to the person you’re dating (or would like to be dating), memes are likely your love language. And, according to a recent Hinge survey, it’s a very popular one.
Out of 2000 users, 73% said they use memes with their crush to figure out if the person they’re talking to has the same sense of humor as they do. Meanwhile, 60% judge their compatibility with a person by whether or not they find the same memes funny before deciding to go out with them (via Mashable). In total, 90% of respondents said if the other person isn’t into memes, they assume they don’t have a sense of humor. Ouch!
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— internet hall of fame (@InternetH0F) June 27, 2023
In other words, memes are important, and it makes sense. Laughter is truly an amazing way to connect with someone. It’s also important for when times get tough as seeing the brighter, funnier side of things can help deal with adversity.
“When we laugh, our brains release a happy cocktail of hormones that increase our levels of trust, lower our levels of stress, and make us feel more relaxed,” said Hinge’s director of relationship science, Logan Ury. “The dopamine hit from laughing reinforces our behavior and makes us want to go back for more.”
It’s also worth noting that 36% of people say they feel more interested in someone if they receive a meme from them. That’s likely because it shows that they have a solid sense of humor and would be fun to be around. That being said, there are still qualities that are more important.
“Focus on the things that really matter in a long-term partner: someone who’s loyal, emotionally stable, and brings out the best side of you,” Ury suggested. “Plus, if they don’t get your memes, that’s OK. You have a whole Internet full of people to share that part of yourself with.”
