Meme-ingful visual: Exploring the pragmatic implications of memes in political polarization through semiotic analysis
Darlyn Joy T. Rabina, Rozsa Mhyna S. Natuel & Jon Paolo M. Ordoñez
Abstract
In today’s digital landscape, memes have shifted from mere entertainment to cultural artifacts that shape political conversations online. They condense ideologies into images, words, and symbols that spread rapidly across social media, often blurring the line between humor and persuasion. Within this context, the primary aim of this study is to analyze political memes through a semiotic and pragmatic lens, grounded in Barthes’ Semiology Theory, to examine how visual and textual elements, such as color, text, and symbols, construct meaning and influence public perception. Thirty political memes from the 2022 Philippine national elections were studied, together with responses from ten second-year college students, to identify key signifiers and audience interpretations. Findings revealed that colors, textual labels, and gestures were not random choices but ideologically saturated signs representing political identities and affiliations. Colors pink, red, and green, terms like “Leni Lugaw,” “Leni Lutang,” “Magnanakaw,” and “Unity,” and gestures such as the “L” sign and peace sign functioned as symbolic shorthand that reinforced or critiqued political personas. Through Barthes’ framework, memes operated on denotative and connotative levels, embedding ideological meanings beneath surface humor. Audience interpretation was shaped by political alignment, symbolic literacy, and social media exposure, reinforcing polarization through echo chambers and confirmation bias. At the same time, memes carried a dual role: intensifying divisiveness through satire, mockery, and symbolic boundary-making, while fostering unity by affirming shared identity, solidarity, and community among like-minded groups.
Keywords
Barthes’ Semiology Theory, political memes, political polarization, pragmatics, semiotic analysis
Author information & Contribution
Darlyn Joy T. Rabina. Corresponding author. Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English. School of Teacher Education, College of Sciences, Technology, and Communications (CSTC), Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines. Email: darlynjoyrabina@gmail.com
Rozsa Mhyna S. Natuel. Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English. School of Teacher Education, College of Sciences, Technology, and Communications (CSTC), Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines. Email: sharmaignesn@gmail.com
Jon Paolo M. Ordoñez. Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics. BSEd Program Coordinator, CSTC Sariaya Inc. Email: jonpawordonez@gmail.com
"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Funding
This work was not supported by any funding.
Declaration
AI Tools were not used in writing this paper.
Notes
*This paper is a finalist at the 5th International Research Competition (IRC) 2025
Acknowledgement
The researchers would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to their loving parents, friends, and significant others for their unwavering support, understanding, and sacrifices, which served as their source of strength and motivation throughout the completion of this study. Above all, the researchers extend their deepest thanks to Almighty God for granting them the knowledge, wisdom, patience, and determination to carry out this research successfully, with humility and gratitude in their hearts.
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Cite this article:
Rabina, D.J.T., Natuel, R.M.S. & Ordoñez, J.P.M. (2025). Meme-ingful visual: Exploring the pragmatic implications of memes in political polarization through semiotic analysis. The Research Probe, 5(2), 106-132. https://doi.org/10.53378/trp.197
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