Homophily in friendship choice during an early life transition: A cohort network dynamic approach.

“Wan Geng” (玩梗), literally “playing with memes” refers to the creative, context-sensitive use and remixing of internet memes for communication, humor, and emotional expression. As a global participatory digital practice, “Wan Geng” involves the circulation and creative transformation of culturally shared units (梗, gěng). However, in the Chinese context is distinguished by its deep roots in local linguistic features, such as homophonic puns, dialect-based humor, and “inside jokes” tied to social events, making it both a universal online behavior and a culturally specific practice. Unlike passive browsing or simple sharing, “Wan Geng” requires deliberate reinterpretation and strategic use in social interactions. In this sense, it serves not only as a vehicle for humor, but also as a means of emotional expression and group bonding. In China, university students are among the primary users and disseminators of this practice. According to a China Youth Daily survey (2024), 95.67% of surveyed college students reported engaging in “Wan Geng,” among them, 65.62% felt it makes communication more efficient and enjoyable and is thereby seen as fostering social interaction, and 62.03% regarded it as a means to relieve stress, relax, and express emotions promptly. At the same time, the role of “Geng” is changing: online interactions have shifted from attracting attention to mobilizing emotions, and even to guiding emotions strategically—a trend illustrated by Oxford’s 2025 Word of the Year, “rage bait” (). Although “Wan Geng” can occasionally expose individuals to emotional contagion and impression management pressures, its prevalent use for mood relief and social connection underscores the importance of studying the emotion regulation processes associated with this digital behavior. The popularity of “Wan Geng” can be explained through Uses and Gratifications (U&G) theory, which views individuals as active audiences who select and use media to meet specific psychological and social needs (; ). For university students, “Wan Geng” reflects a combination of psychological demands. Building on U&G theory, this study identifies four core motivations behind this behavior: emotion regulation (relieving stress and managing mood), entertainment (seeking fun and relaxation), self-identity (expressing personal values and shaping self-image), and group integration (connecting with peers and building group identity). Through actively selecting, creating, and sharing memes, students fulfill these needs in ways that may be associated with temporary psychological relief and stronger social bonds. However, while U&G theory explains why students engage in “Wan Geng,” it does not fully account for how these motivations are associated with emotion regulation. In particular, it does not address how the gratifications gained from “Wan Geng” may relate to individuals’ beliefs in their ability to manage emotions. This study draws on Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory. It focuses on regulatory emotional self-efficacy (RESE), which refers to one’s belief in the ability to manage emotional states (). It also applies Emotion Regulation Theory () to position emotion regulation strategies as the mediating mechanism. Because two of the four motivations involve identity and belonging, this study further draws on Social Identity Theory to interpret the self-identity and group integration pathways. Together, these frameworks form the basis of an integrated conceptual model.