arbiter
JournalsAccount

Theory of memorable messages

Angela Cooke‐Jackson et al.

Journal of Communication2025https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqaf016article
ABDC A
Weight
0.61

Abstract

This essay forward the theory of memorable messages (ToMM), a framework useful for examining the messages that individuals remember for long periods of time (i.e., memorable messages) and their influence on identities, beliefs, and behaviors. The ToMM empowers researchers to ask how messages deemed unhelpful, harmful, or incomplete (e.g., absent) can be disrupted, or meaningfully transformed, to make room for new messages and meanings. To this aim, we first overview 40 years of atheoretical memorable messages scholarship, before detailing recent advancements in the ToMM. Next, we offer warrants for five propositions of the ToMM, aligning with metatheoretical assumptions for an interpretive approach to memorable messages scholarship. Lastly, we discuss future directions for ToMM scholarship, including opportunities to advance qualitative approaches to communication research and approach the ToMM from alternative metatheoretical perspectives.

15 citations

Open via your library →

Cite this paper

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqaf016

Or copy a formatted citation

@article{angela2025,
  title        = {{Theory of memorable messages}},
  author       = {Angela Cooke‐Jackson et al.},
  journal      = {Journal of Communication},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqaf016},
}

Paste directly into BibTeX, Zotero, or your reference manager.

Flag this paper

Theory of memorable messages

Flags are reviewed by the Arbiter methodology team within 5 business days.

Evidence weight

0.61

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.63 × 0.4 = 0.25
M · momentum0.88 × 0.15 = 0.13
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.