LANGUAGE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIAL MEDIA

ISSN: 3026-7196

Meme-ingful Actions: Uncovering the Influence of Political Memes on

Leadership Performance and Values Formation

Nicole Andrea G. Matias📧, Prince Henderson D. Bartolome📧, Samantha

Louise R. Carreon📧, Franz Marielle L. Tallara📧 and Joseph A. Villarama📧

To cite this article. N. A. G. Matias, P. H. D. Bartolome, S. L. R, F. M. L. Tallara, and J. A. Villarama, “Meme-ingful Actions :
Uncovering the Influence of Political Memes on Leadership Performance and Values Formation,” Lang. Technol. Soc. Media,
vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 204–219, 2024.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70211/ltsm.v2i2.141

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Published online: 29 November 2024

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Language, Technology, and Social Media Vol 2 No 2 (2024) https://doi.org/ 10.70211/ltsm.v2i2.141

Research Article

Meme-ingful Actions: Uncovering the Influence of Political

Memes on Leadership Performance and Values Formation
Nicole Andrea G. Matias*, Prince Henderson D. Bartolome, Samantha Louise R.
Carreon, Franz Marielle L. Tallara, Joseph A. Villarama
Received: 05 August 2024 Revised: 10 September 2024 Accepted: 28 November 2024 Online: 29 November 2024

Abstract
Political memes circulate all over the digital world, exerting a profound influence on the political
engagement of leaders. This study focused on identifying the influence of political memes on the political
engagement of college student-leaders and explored the subsequent effects on their leadership
performance and values formation. Grounded on Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, this
phenomenological study interviewed with ten open-ended questions, 15 college student-leaders (CSLs)
from Central Luzon State University, Philippines. The data gathered underwent through Colaizzi’s
thematic analysis and were verified through data cross-checking. Results revealed that political memes
have a significant influence on the opinion of student-leaders in the digital media, serving as one of the
motivators for CSLs’ engagement in political movements and activities. Despite the condensed
information of memes, their widespread scope and entertainment mobilizes political discourse across
social media. Thus, social media plays a crucial role in guiding leaders’ political involvement,
highlighting the importance of digital literacy in educating leaders for future generations. CSLs’ interest
in media entertainment and collective action reflects in the influence of polit ical memes, shaping
discourse and mobilizing peers, as a humorous and informative medium for driving societal change and
directing political movements.

Keywords: Political Memes; Digital Communication; Social Media Consumption; Leadership

Performance; Values Formation

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2024 by the author(s).
Licensee Wise Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandar Lampung, Indonesia.
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 INTRODUCTION
Political discourse in the digital world has become increasingly prevalent, fueled by the use of
humorous content with memes. The prevalence of discourse with the utilization of memes manifests
their role in influencing political engagement, particularly with the youth. Moreover, with the early
exposure of the youth to leadership experiences in educational settings, their digital and political
engagements influence the development of leadership performance and values formation.
Understanding how political discourse through memes affects political engagement and leadership
and values development is crucial in acknowledging how it can improve leadership skills and values
formation among the young leaders in the contemporary digital age engagement.
Nowadays, political discussions have become widespread, with new forms of expression
emerging [1]. These discussions have opened the doors for individuals to have a voice in
governance, serving as a fundamental part of democracy. In the digital world, with the emergence
of different forms of expression, from posting direct arguments in personal social media accounts
to adding humorous political context in the form of memes, it rapidly changes societal trends.
Particularly, memes have become one of the key characteristics of social media popular culture [2]
[3]. Memes offer a visually compelling and easily shareable format that resonates with the
generation of the youth, allowing complex ideas into a more digestible and entertaining content. In
the digital era, memes have gone beyond their origin to emerge as a humorous or satirical way to
express opinions, emotions, and insights [4] [5]. The accessibility, virality, and ability to form
complex ideas concisely [6] have made memes particularly influential in developing information
consumption and reshaping public discourse.
The proliferation of memes has mobilized those who distrust politics into active online
participation [7], empowering political dissemination. From here, Social Learning Theory [8],
posits that most online users observe and internalize behaviors, attitudes, and leadership
performance depicted in political memes, influencing their political engagement with implications
for their performance in leading and values formation.
The rise of social media has mainstreamed memes, making them easily recognizable to
many users and ingrained in online culture [9]. Memes have been around more than the digital age,
making them recognizable because of their frequent appearance in various social media platforms
[10]. In the online community, they often utilize an understanding of meme messages to attract
engagement, in seeking popularity and shares on social media. Consequently, on social media, it
has been evident that political discourse has increasingly focused on the use of humorous content
[9], to the point that in almost every political campaign, memes have become manifested to
illuminate the progression of politics [11]. At the same time, a larger number of citizens disseminate
and create political memes than traditional social media content on all platforms [12], heightening
the levels of engagement through social media. Over time, the adaptability of political memes in
converting complex political ideas into a more concise and accessible manner [6] effectively
manifests the direct understanding of minorities, particularly young adults. Thus, the proliferation
of political memes in the digital era has developed the dissemination and consumption of polit ical
information [9], harnessing their accessibility, virality, and concise interpretation of complex
political concepts.
However, despite the widespread dissemination of political memes, people’s beliefs often
remain unchanged after engaging with memes that oppose their political stands. Instead, individuals

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tend to engage more with political memes that align with their political ethics and principles,
resulting in minimal changes in their attitudes and values. In one study, it was revealed that although
online political memes are a creative way of political participation, they had no impact on voting
decisions or insights of the participants, instead, they assist people on how to judge candidates and
form their own beliefs about the political leaders [13]. This suggests that while political memes
may not directly affect voting decisions, they play a vital role in shaping individuals’ perceptions
and understanding of political climates.
Memes, serving as both a critique and facilitator of social media engagement make it easier
for individuals to voice their opinions, whether positive or negative, about a subject or issue [14],
making it an effective tool for political discourse, media effects, agitation, and propaganda. Those
memes that can evoke emotions are considered to spread quickly and to influence public opinion
and discourse effectively [15]. Political memes, sharing similar characteristics, possess the ability
to spread widely and ultimately influence public opinion. However, their impact is not without
drawbacks, as internet memes can be manipulated to give destructive information [16]. The
involved members of these communities consider themselves activists, driven by the desire to
influence and shape political discourse. Beyond that, their primary objectives extend beyond mere
participation; they seek to control the debates, draw in more supporters and followers, and possibly
sway the opinions of social media users to amplify their message. With the appealing, witty, and
entertaining characteristics of political memes, activists use these to damage the image of their
opposing parties [17]. This approach to digital activism demonstrates the importance of political
memes in driving political opinions of users online.
One study stated that memes had no effect on sentiments between groups, this suggests that
other forms of interaction, like forming conversations with other users, may impact the shaping of
the group dynamics. Political interest was likewise unaffected, indicating that it has little influence
on political engagement. Moreover, memes’ tendency may even contribute to political cynicism
because they present political ideas in a lighthearted or ridiculous manner [18]. These findings
highlight a combination of factors such as self-expression, amusement, and social identity that drive
the adoption of internet memes. It positions the deployment of political memes inside civic actions,
but it also issues a warning about the function and effects of memes on democratic processes,
especially about exclusionary practices, oversimplification, and misinformation [19]. These
concerns highlight the need for a critical understanding of the role of memes in shaping political
discourse and political dissemination.
Moreover, memes, as a form of popular culture data, are cross-cultural; they abstain from
following defined limitations established by society, culture, and language. This unique feature
serves as an effective means to do better at curating messages and using humor to promote those
messages, simplifying complex political topics so that they are easier to understand and consume.
Consequently, people who engage in the meme culture are therefore more vulnerable to false
information [20]. This disconnects between awareness and the creation of political memes suggests
that may not necessarily contribute to an individual’s knowledge of political discourse.
Additionally, other findings suggest that meme makers lack political experience and that the fact
that they don't seem to be motivated by the desire to teach their audiences is consistent with the
conclusion that encountering memes concerning politics is not linked with political awareness [1].
Furthermore, studies found that encountering memes on social media platforms like Facebook has
no significant influence on political knowledge. However, it does correlate positively with

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increased engagement in online speech and involvement. This suggests that while memes may not
directly enhance political awareness, they can foster greater participation and political discussions
and activities within online communities.
Political participation is a crucial constituent in democratic citizenship as it provides
sovereignty or authority within the society while making sure that the citizens are also able to
contribute to making important decisions [21] [22]. This multifaceted concept of political
participation encompasses the non-mandatory actions performed by the general public to be
influential on the public and contribute to the society’s formation of government leaders. This type
of participation manifests through different activities, including voting, seeking information,
discussing public issues, attending meetings, contributing financially and communicating with
representatives [23]. Nowadays, contemporary trends reveal that traditional methods of performing
political participation, particularly among young people, have waned in popularity [24]. Comparing
the older generation to the younger generation, it is shown that the younger generation is less
interested and exhibits reduced participation when it comes to the traditional way of politics [25]
and are less sophisticated in politics [26]. In this day and age, younger generations’ response to
these is by leveraging social media as a channel for online activism [27], with certain studies
suggesting that it has heightened political engagement and participation among youth [28].
The Philippines, as a democratic country with a dynamic political climate, has a lot to cover
about politics. According to COMELEC chairperson George Erwin Garcia, the youth comprised
more than half of the 1.6 million people who applied for registration for the election. Studies
revealed that Filipino university students have high political awareness and knowledge [29] but are
seldom involved in political affairs [30]. This discrepancy between awareness and action suggests
a gap that needs to be addressed in meaningful civic engagement. Nonetheless, most Filipino youths
are leveraging the use of a mixed method, composed of social media and traditional platforms, to
participate in issues concerning socio-political contexts [31]. This reflects the evolving nature of
political participation, among succeeding generations.
For college student-leaders, who are defined as agents who advocate for a positive change
in their environment [32], social media serves as a tool in spurring action for social and political
change [33]. Fostering student leadership, particularly when perceived as real politics, is
fundamental not only for enhancing political literacy but also for empowering students to advocate,
represent, and engage in activism, thereby adequately contributing to the decision-making
structures of students [34]. Additionally, when individuals have greater confidence in their
knowledge of politics, they are more likely to engage in discussions about their political interests
[35].
Political participation among students yields different effects on political behavior and civic
engagement. As educated human beings, the students tended to exhibit rational thought and behave
rationally in the context of politics [36], reflecting their ability to critically analyze political issues
and make informed decisions. Additionally, a study has shown that a higher use of social media for
political purposes has led to an improvement in young voters' online political participation [37],
providing them with digital spaces to voice their opinions, engage in political discourse, and
mobilize for political participation. This evolution in online and offline political participation
among youth underscores its various effects on their political behavior, civic attitudes, and political
consumption. Truly, through active participation in both online and offline political participation,

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students not only develop a deeper understanding of political processes but also cultivate the minds
of the succeeding generations for a sense of civic responsibility and agency.
Political memes have been found to significantly influence the political participation of
individuals [38]. However, while engaging in innovative forms of participation enhances traditional
forms of involvement [39], there remains a gap in understanding their long-term effects on
leadership performance and values formation among youngsters, particularly student-leaders.
Hence, further exploration into the relation of political memes in the shaping process of political
engagement of college student-leaders is essential for informing effective leadership.
The values and performance of college student-leaders formed by their political
participation remain deficiently understood. Most, if not all, previous studies about the political
participation of college student-leaders focus on the number of students that perform political
participation and on what medium they perform their political participation. Only a limited number
of studies reviewed the effects of political participation on college student -leaders' overall
performance. This study specifically (1) determined the influence of political memes on college
student-leaders’ engagement in political activities and (2) investigated the role of college student -
leaders’ engagement in political activities on their leadership performance and values formation.

METHODS
Research Design
This study employs a qualitative approach through a phenomenological approach; the researchers
derived the idea from Bandura’s concept, the Social Learning Theory [8], which served as the
foundation of the objectives and questions of the study regarding the influence of observation of
behaviors in one’s own actions and beliefs. Built upon the notion that the media largely affects the
actions of young adults, Social Learning Theory serves as the cornerstone of the study, uncovering
the influence of political memes on college student-leaders’ political engagement and its
implications on their leadership performance and values formation, thereby guiding the
development of leadership mentoring plans.

Population and Sample

Taking into account the heterogeneity of the population, through a purposive sampling technique,
this research covered 15 college students with at least one (1) year of experience in leading an
organization, totaling 15 college student-leaders identified and/or coded from CSL1 to CSL15,
from Central Luzon State University in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines.

Research Instrument
Data was gathered through interviews with the CSLs. In the interview and printed questionnaire,
the researchers prepared 10 self-developed open-ended guide questions, focusing on (1) Political
Memes on Political Engagement of College Student-Leaders (CSLs) (2) Political Engagement on
the Leadership Performance and Values formation of College Student-Leaders (CSLs). The
respondents were informed and consented to be documented in either face-to-face or online
interviews while getting real-time transcriptions or audio and screen recordings. For the printed
questionnaire, the subjects were informed and consented to take part in the study before they
proceed to answer the provided questions.
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Data Collection Procedure
After getting the approval of the CLSU Ethics Review Committee, the researchers personally
approached CSLs from different colleges within Central Luzon State University (CLSU) to
participate and become respondents for the study, then gave them consent forms.
After giving their consent, the respondents consulted the researchers with their preferred
date and time of schedule either face-to-face or online. The interviews lasted for a week, at least
(3) CLSs were interviewed per session. Using a semi-structured interview, the respondents
answered a total of ten (10) questions. The researchers documented the responses through audio
and screen recordings and real-time interview transcripts.

Data Analysis Procedure

The researchers examined the statements of student leaders to further acquire knowledge on the
possible impact of political memes. Using the Social Learning Theory [8], the researchers
organized, identified, formulated, clustered, interpreted, produced, and verified using the thematic
method of Colaizzi (1978) on the grounds of the said theory, whether or not each student leader's
statement is reliable by organizing and connecting their remarks from various organizations. Data
cross-checking was likewise observed to guarantee the accuracy of the information and the
reliability of the outcomes.

Figure 1. Data analysis procedures on the grounds of Colaizzi’s thematic method (1978)

Limitations
Despite being useful in revealing how political memes impact college student-leaders’ leadership
performance and values formation, this study imposes several limitations. First, because the sample
size was small and restricted to college student leaders from Central Luzon State University, the
findings might not be as generally relevant outside of this particular setting. Furthermore, the

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dependence on the data collected from a single campus may introduce biases specific to that
institution that could potentially limit the external validity of the results. Additionally, this study
does not take into account the potential age difference among the participants, which could affect
the study’s findings as age is found to be a significant factor in shaping one’s perception, behavior,
and level of political engagement [40].

RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

Figure 2. Thematic Analysis Findings

Power: Political Memes’ Influence in the Contemporary Times

Political memes have become extremely effective instruments for studying political environments
and disseminating popular opinion in the contemporary era of technological growth. Some
respondents saw memes as a mirror of the present political atmosphere, while others expressed the
meme’s impact as a tool in informing the populace in an eye-opening way. As CSL12 stated:

“Like I said, the satirical memes regarding political views are very eye-opening, it is also
very engaging for me as a student leader and I get ideas in a very short period of time like one
swipe, “Ah so this is what's happening in this party.” It’s like that is where I see that I will do more
research regarding that issue.”

Respondents’ responses suggested that the proliferation of memes across digital media, not
only informs but also actively molds public opinion through their reflection. Most respondents
interviewed were greatly influenced by the knack of memes in inserting humor in cryptic messages.

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Additionally, Filipino culture is deeply rooted in humor, as evidenced by the country’s ranking as
one of the most positive and humorous countries in the Gallup Global Emotions Report [41]. This
is particularly evident in respondents' answers as most of them highly engage in political memes as
guidance for their attitude and principles. As CSL2 stated:

“As a college student, my political memes need to understand current trends and what
improvements are necessary. I also need to determine what leadership stance to impart to my
members or people to foster stronger bonds and facilitate meaningful discussions, leading to better
decisions. This not only benefits our organization but also influences other students we engage
with.”

Moreover, respondents have highlighted the great impact of political memes in blending
entertainment with socio-political messages. While humor may attract initial engagement, the
underlying messages within them can spark meaningful conversation, particularly as a leadership
guidance to the student-leaders. This is due to the memes’ ability to condense complex ideas into
a concise manner, getting the curiosity of the consumers and motivating them to research more [6].

Motivation: Valued Memes as a Driving Force in Political Engagements

Political memes have considerable influence in shaping public opinion, driving motivation based
on evaluations. While some memes foster engagement, representation, and even challenge
conventional leadership norms, others raise concerns about information integrity. Respondents
highlight the value of fact-driven memes, empowering individuals to verify accuracy and encourage
their involvement in political issues. As CSL 6 and 4 stated, respectively:

“…some memes that caught my attention are fact-driven memes. Sometimes, political
memes contain hidden meanings. Because of these memes, our first response is to fact-check if the
information within that meme has a basis or not.”

“With regard to the specific type and subject of political memes that I find the least
engaging, I think that would be the memes that display fake news. Since a lot of topics are
circulating on social media, we need to identify if they are fake news. For me, these memes are the
least engaging, we could say that it is not accurate with what truly happens to our community.”

Respondents’ observation brings light to the evolving role of memes in political discourse.
The recognition of hidden meanings within political memes adds a layer of substance to their
interpretation, allowing consumers to fact-check. The circumstances speak of a desire for
transparency and accuracy in political communication, motivating more engagement in political
activities. This trend was evident in the 2022 Philippine presidential election, where the widespread
dissemination of political memes, such as the infamous “bayaran” lines, influenced many Filipinos'
perception and led them to believe that it was a fact due to its prevalence [42]. However, in times
like this, it drives the student-leaders’ participation more, as it enables the masses to see the truth
on the dark side of their political climate. As CSL7 stated:

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 “If this meme is the type that is open to an issue that oppresses people, then I would
subscribe to it. Those that show the dark side of Philippine politics, where it's like it's exposing the
current events in our country... And from that, these are the memes that motivate me to engage
more and try to educate people on how these political circumstances affect not only those who are
in government or not only those who are student leaders but also all people…” Moreover,
respondents point out that engagement and representation are pillars of any democratic society,
which can also be found in political memes. By highlighting entertainment and those oppressed,
these memes encourage individuals to participate in political activities.

Relatedness: Political Memes empowering Discourse Across Digital Platforms

Political memes are very short and do not give a lot of information regarding the issue they relate
to. Despite that, they do have efficacious outcomes in shaping the values of college student -leaders.
Respondents acknowledged the relatedness of using memes on social media to advocate political
engagements. As CSL4 stated:

“Political memes are effective because they’re quick and easy to share and they are often
funny and they spread widely and engage people who might not otherwise be interested in politics.”

Respondents stated that political memes are a great way to entertainingly introduce
political issues across digital platforms. This is because memes have characteristics that make
messages, presented in the form of humor, more digestible and easier to understand when
addressing political issues [20]. Political memes use humor to capture and lengthen the attention of
their audience while serving the purpose of providing significant political information. As CSL5
stated:

“...political memes serve as an example of activism since it uses its humorous content in
order to encourage the audience by giving them knowledge and information, they need to be aware
of our societal issues.”

Furthermore, college student-leaders recognize the power to spread political memes

through the internet due to the interest of the youth and students. As far as political memes are
concerned, social motivations are commonly heightened [19].

Engagement in Political Activities on Leadership Performance

Engagement in political activities is often done to fight for human rights and to spread awareness
about politics. The respondents expressed their views on how their political activities affected their
leadership performance. Most of them stated that it helped develop their leadership skills, while
some said that they had improved experiences, awareness, and perspective toward politics. As
CSL9 stated:

“...I got more confidence in myself that I can influence my colleagues to do the right thing
and it's not like I'm forcing them.”

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 The respondents’ responses implied that engaging in political activities had some positive
impacts on their leadership performance as they became more active in participating in political
activities, were able to view politics from a wider perspective, and developed different skills that
improved their performance as student-leaders. Moreover, youth activism is associated with the
youth’s interpersonal skills having enhanced social capital [43]. Moreover, respondents also
developed their emotional intelligence. As CSL15 stated:

“Through these activities, I can raise awareness and influence my peers. In terms of my
leadership performance, it enhances my skills in communication and I also developed my critical
thinking and empathy”

In addition to that, the respondents’ responses also highlighted that engaging in political
activities drove the respondents to acquire emotional responses such as empathy. Activism is said
to be an opportunity for the youth to analyze and control their emotions in facilitating their
organizing efforts and supporting their well-being [44].

Engagement in Political Activities on Values Formation

Values formation for college student leaders is crucial as it shapes their character, integrity, and
decision-making abilities (personal growth). Engagement in political activities can have a huge
impact on their values formation. In line with the accumulated response from the respondents, most
of them answered that engagement in political activities improved their awareness and knowledge
about other people's differing perspectives, as a result, they became more understanding and
respectful towards other people’s opinions. As CSL13 stated:

“...student’s needs are what you will target and that will be your basis for
constructing…objectives when you consider activities or programs. I had a series of learning
through these participations that I did… I had a sense of accomplishment as I saw my progress
from being a “newbie” leader to the leader I am in the present.”

Respondents pointed out that everyone has their own opinions regarding politics, but
because of that, they improved their awareness to differentiate between their professional setting as
college student leaders and their political stance. This awareness helps them to be more responsible.
Political participation had different effects on the political behavior of students. As educated human
beings, students tend to think and behave rationally in the context of politics [36]. As CSL2 stated:

“Participating in political activities made me realize that once a student leader accepts his
or her responsibility or obligation in their respective organization, their journey won’t be a one-
man journey. Rather, it would be a journey of them and their members, their organization as a
whole. With that, student leaders shall be responsible not only for their reputation but for others
also.”

Additionally, respondents claim that their introverted values also grow when engaging in
political activities through acknowledging their worth and improving their self-esteem. Extroverted
values are also affected when engaging in political activities leads these college student leaders to

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realize the importance of being more considerate to their peers, thus helping them grow their social
values. There is a significant interplay between factors such as political education and knowledge,
political self-external and internal efficacy, and social media usage in fostering one’s political
participation, further enhancing their personal values [45], [46].

Type of Political Activities

Political activities come in different forms but with the same or similar purpose – to educate, to
spread awareness, and to influence the decision-making of civil society. The respondents highlight
the most common type of political activities done by the youth. Most of them answered social
movements such as rallies and campaigns. However, as part of the youth, who are technologically
driven, some student-leaders opt for online activism to spread awareness using media on social
media platforms. Hybrid activism, which is a combination of both online activism and social
movements, was also practiced by a minority of the respondents. As CSL2 and CSL13 stated,
respectively:

“.. I also volunteered...in activities because it really made me feel empowered and it inspired
me…I realized that as a woman, we also have the power to lead and redirect people.”

“For me, the house-to-house or the outreach programs where you would go into every
corner of barangays…directly going on face to face or personal to the marginalized sectors.”

The respondent’s response pointed out that political activities such as rallies had an impact
on him/her because it didn’t just become a way for them to advocate but also served as an inspiration
for them to become a leader. Moreover, the respondent’s response also highlighted that through
participating in rallies, they felt empowered because having the gender that is considered to be
submissive when it comes to the field of politics and leadership, they often questioned themself if
they could also possibly lead and redirect people. In politics, marginalization becomes a cause of
why it is difficult for women to be directly involved in any political learning process [47].

CONCLUSION
Political memes became broadly used in social media, reaching many audiences, particularly the
youth. As a result, political memes served as a driving force for college student-leaders in increasing
their participation in political activities. Furthermore, their engagement in political activities
nurtured their values which led to an enhanced leadership performance. As political memes
continue to proliferate, their blend of humor and information empowers digitally literate youths,
enabling student-leaders to address issues and advocate for marginalized demographics. In addition
to their contemporary influence and motivational role, they promote increased political
involvement among student-leaders by utilizing memes to spark meaningful discourse and
community action. Furthermore, the increasing involvement of college student leaders in politics
through interactive events such as campaigns and rallies emphasize the importance of collective
action in raising public voices. However, there are several disadvantages with the influence of
political memes. When organizational peers exhibit opposing perspectives, they may influence
political viewpoints and present restrictions through spreading incorrect information. Hence,

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further studies should also take into account additional elements, such as the personal beliefs of
college student leaders, in order to evaluate their influence on peers who have different beliefs and
the resulting effect on their leadership abilities. In conclusion, this study significantly improves
leadership mentoring programs by examining the influence of political memes on the leadership
performance and values formation of student-leaders. This offers important insights about how
memes impact student leaders' political behavior, providing valuable insights on leadership
techniques. These findings will enhance the foundations of effective youth leadership development
and educate future leaders. Findings suggest further studies on the credibility of political memes as
a medium of communication and their influence on factors beyond leadership performance and
values formation, to deepen understanding of their role as an emerging tool for political movements.

AUTHORS INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
Nicole Andrea G. Matias – College of Education, Central Luzon State University (Philippines);
orcid.org/0009-0002-0528-7824
Email: [email protected]

Authors
Nicole Andrea G. Matias – College of Education, Central Luzon State University (Philippines);
orcid.org/0009-0002-0528-7824
Prince Henderson D. Bartolome – College of Education, Central Luzon State University
(Philippines);
orcid.org/0009-0005-1487-8257
Samantha Louise R. Carreon – College of Education, Central Luzon State University
(Philippines);
orcid.org/0009-0001-5254-2413
Franz Marielle L. Tallara – College of Education, Central Luzon State University (Philippines);
orcid.org/0009-0006-3199-955X
Joseph A. Villarama – College of Education, Central Luzon State University (Philippines);
orcid.org/0000-0001-5308-7398

AUTHORS’ CONTRIBUTIONS
All the authors contributed to all parts of this research equally. Nicole Andrea G. Matias,
contributed in the conceptualization, methodology, instrument, formal analysis, investigation, data
curation, writing, editing, and visualization. Prince Henderson D. Bartolome, assisted in the
conceptualization, investigation, data curation, and writing. Samantha Louise R. Carreon,
concentrated on conceptualization, methodology, investigation, data curation, formal analysis, and
writing. Franz Marielle L. Tallara, helped in conceptualization, methodology, instrument, formal
analysis, investigation, data curation, and writing. Joseph A. Villarama, guided the group from
conceptualization, methodology, instrument, writing–reviewing and editing, validation, and
supervision.

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 CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Declaration of Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Funding: This study received no specific financial support.
Ethics: The study is approved by the Central Luzon State University Ethics Research Committee
with approval code 2024-181 and follows all ethical practices and considerations.

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