The Psychology of Trolling

TL;DR

Trolling encompasses various behaviors on the internet, ranging from harmless jokes to cyberbullying. Psychologists are studying the motivations behind trolling to better understand and address this online aggression.

Transcript

Since you’re watching SciShow, you’re probably pretty familiar with the Internet -- it’s full of information and awesome communities. But, like any cool and kinda-magical place, it has its dark sides… Even its very own trolls. Trolling is used to describe a lot of different situations. But, basically, it’s when someone posts an off-topic or inflamm... Read More

Key Insights

• 😜 Trolling encompasses a range of behaviors, from harmless pranks to cyberbullying, and the motivations behind it can vary.
• 👯 The Online Disinhibition Effect explains why people behave differently online, including engaging in trolling behavior.
• 🧌 Some personality traits, such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and sadism, can be associated with those who enjoy trolling.
• 🧌 Communities that have already experienced mean-spirited trolling are more likely to attract similar trolls, while well-moderated communities can discourage harmful trolling.
• 🧌 Individual humanization and understanding the harm caused by trolls can help combat online aggression.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is trolling, and how has its definition evolved?

Trolling originally started as harmless pranks online, but it now includes a wide range of behaviors from playful rule-breaking to cyberbullying and even hacktivism.

Q: What are the factors that contribute to the Online Disinhibition Effect?

The factors include dissociative anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, solipsistic introjection, dissociative imagination, and minimization of authority.

Q: Are all trolls sadistic or narcissistic?

No, not all trolls exhibit these personality traits. However, research has found that some self-identified trolls do show positive correlations with traits associated with the Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad.

Q: How can we combat trolling and create more positive online spaces?

Well-moderated communities with civil conversations tend to discourage harmful trolls. Humanizing victims can help undo the Online Disinhibition Effect and make trolls realize the harm they are causing.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Trolling refers to the act of posting off-topic or inflammatory comments to disrupt online conversations, and it can be both harmless and harmful.

• The internet provides anonymity, which leads to disinhibition and different behavior online compared to real life.

• Research suggests that certain personality traits, such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and sadism, can be associated with those who enjoy trolling.