memetics

Memetics is the study of memes, which are units of cultural information spread by imitation. The term "meme" was coined by Richard Dawkins in 1976, drawing a parallel between cultural transmission and biological genes. Memes can manifest as ideas, behaviors, phrases, or fashions, and they replicate and transmit through various forms of communication, including the internet.1234

The concept suggests that successful memes, like genes, are those that are best at surviving and replicating within a culture. Some theories view memes as akin to viruses or parasites of the mind, primarily focused on their own propagation. While the concept remains largely theoretical and debated, the rise of internet memes has brought renewed attention to memetics.142