Replying ‘Haha So True!’ to Every Meme Your Friend Sends: An Experimental Study in Preserving Social Bonds with Minimum Effort

Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali¹, and Dr. Appu Nahasapeemapetilon ²

¹ Department of Bare-Minimum Psychology, IIB, New Delhi, India

² Semi-Attentive Friendship Laboratory, just opposite IIB, New Delhi, India

Abstract

In an age where social bonds are maintained through digital interactions, understanding the role of minimalistic responses in friendship preservation has become critical. This study explores the efficacy of the phrase “Haha So True!”- a hallmark of low-effort engagement – in maintaining and, perhaps, even strengthening interpersonal connections without requiring more than a few thumb taps. Through a triple-blinded randomized between-subject experiment conducted with 150 reluctant but available participants, we measure the effects of “Haha So True!” responses to memes, compared with varying responses like “OMG LMAO” and the significantly higher-effort “LOL, I just snorted coffee.” Results suggest that “Haha So True!”, despite its lowly two-word nature, competes admirably with high-effort replies in keeping friends content, alleviating guilt, and projecting an “I care… just enough” vibe.  

Keywords: Friendship Maintenance, Minimal Engagement, Meme Validation, Low-Effort Communication, Perceived Enthusiasm

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