The Psychology of Trolling

SciShow
7 Jul 201608:55
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis SciShow episode delves into the phenomenon of online trolling, exploring its origins, types, and the psychology behind it. Trolling, which began in the 1990s, ranges from playful pranks to harmful cyber-bullying. The Online Disinhibition Effect explains the anonymity-driven behavior, while recent studies link aggressive trolling with the Dark Tetrad personality traits. The episode suggests that understanding trolling's motivations can help mitigate its negative impacts and foster healthier online interactions.

Takeaways
  • 🌐 The Internet is a platform full of information and communities but also has darker aspects, including trolling.
  • 😈 Trolling is the act of posting off-topic or inflammatory comments to disrupt online conversations, with varying degrees of intent from harmless to harmful.
  • 🤔 The motivations behind trolling are diverse, ranging from seeking humor to engaging in harmful behaviors like cyber-bullying.
  • 📚 Trolling originated in the early 1990s on platforms like Usenet, where it was a form of pranking new users, often for amusement.
  • 🎮 Some trolls, known as griefers, disrupt online gaming communities, sometimes escalating from playful to harmful actions.
  • 🌍 Groups like Anonymous have used trolling methods for hacktivism, opposing online censorship and making political statements.
  • 😨 Cyber-bullying trolls can cause significant distress, making it difficult for victims to discern real threats from empty ones.
  • 🧐 The Online Disinhibition Effect, coined by John Suler, explains how the Internet's anonymity can lead to a loosening of social inhibitions.
  • 🔍 Six key factors contribute to the Online Disinhibition Effect, including dissociative anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, solipsistic introjection, dissociative imagination, and the minimization of authority.
  • 🧬 Recent studies suggest a correlation between aggressive trolling and personality traits associated with the Dark Triad or Tetrad, such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, antisocial personality disorder, and sadism.
  • 📊 Only a small percentage of online commenters identify as trolls, indicating that the majority of Internet users are not engaged in trolling behavior.
  • 🤝 Psychological research into trolling can help in understanding and potentially mitigating the impact of harmful online interactions.
  • 🏛 The Broken Windows Theory suggests that well-moderated communities tend to have more civil conversations, potentially deterring harmful trolls.
  • 🌟 Humanizing victims can counteract the Online Disinhibition Effect, making trolls realize the real harm they cause, as exemplified by Lindy West's experience.
Q & A

  • What is the term used to describe someone who posts off-topic or inflammatory comments online?

    -The term used is 'trolling'. It refers to the act of disrupting online conversations with such comments.

  • What are some harmless forms of trolling that can be seen as just for fun?

    -Harmless trolling can include posting overly naive questions or over-discussed topics on forums to trick new users, often done for the 'lulz' or laughs among experienced users.

  • How did the concept of trolling evolve over time?

    -Trolling began in the early 1990s on platforms like Usenet and was initially a more harmless form of pranking new users. Over time, it has evolved to include a wide range of behaviors, from playful to harmful.

  • What is the term coined by John Suler to describe the loosening of social inhibitions due to internet anonymity?

    -The term coined by John Suler is the 'Online Disinhibition Effect'.

  • What are the six key factors that contribute to the Online Disinhibition Effect according to Dr. Suler?

    -The six key factors are dissociative anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, solipsistic introjection, dissociative imagination, and minimization of authority.

  • Why might some people engage in trolling behavior that goes beyond playful rule-breaking?

    -Some individuals may engage in more harmful trolling behavior due to personality traits associated with the Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad, such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, antisocial personality disorder, and sadism.

  • How does the anonymity provided by the Internet potentially fuel aggressive trolling?

    -Anonymity can lead to a sense of detachment from real-life consequences and a lack of responsibility for one's actions, making it easier for individuals to engage in aggressive trolling.

  • What is the relationship between the type of trolls and the personality traits associated with the Dark Tetrad?

    -Individuals who enjoy trolling others have been found to have positive correlations with personality traits of the Dark Tetrad, such as a predisposition for manipulation, lack of empathy, and taking pleasure in others' pain.

  • What percentage of survey respondents identified as trolls in a study mentioned in the script?

    -Only around 5% of survey respondents specifically identified as trolls.

  • How can well-moderated communities potentially reduce harmful trolling?

    -Well-moderated communities can discourage harmful trolls by enforcing civil conversations and maintaining an environment where such behavior is not tolerated, similar to the Broken Windows Theory.

  • What is one strategy suggested to combat the more serious forms of trolling?

    -One strategy is to humanize the victims, making it harder for trolls to dissociate and recognize the real harm they are causing.

Outlines
00:00
😈 The Nature of Internet Trolling

This paragraph delves into the concept of trolling, a behavior where individuals post provocative or off-topic comments to disrupt online conversations. It distinguishes between harmless, humorous trolls and those with more malicious intent. The origins of trolling are traced back to the early 1990s on platforms like Usenet, where it was initially a form of amusement for experienced users. The paragraph also explores the evolution of trolling into various forms, including griefers in gaming and political hacktivism, as well as the darker side of cyber-bullying. It raises questions about the psychology behind trolling and the impact on victims who may struggle to discern real threats from empty ones.

05:03
🔎 Understanding the Psychology of Trolls

This section examines the psychological factors that contribute to trolling behavior. It introduces the term 'Online Disinhibition Effect,' which describes how anonymity on the Internet can lead to a relaxation of social norms. Six key factors are identified that foster this effect: dissociative anonymity, invisibility through text-based communication, asynchronicity of online interactions, solipsistic introjection leading to dehumanization, dissociative imagination treating online interactions as a fantasy, and minimization of authority. The paragraph also discusses recent studies linking aggressive trolling with personality traits associated with the Dark Triad, such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and sadism. It highlights the need for further research to understand the motivations behind trolling and suggests that the Internet may serve as an outlet for individuals with certain social tendencies that are less acceptable offline.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Trolling
Trolling is when someone posts off-topic or inflammatory comments to disrupt an online conversation. In the video, trolling is described as having various forms, from harmless jokes to harmful behavior like cyberbullying. It's a key concept as the video explores the psychology and impact of trolling on the internet.
💡Online Disinhibition Effect
This term, coined by John Suler in 2004, describes the loosening of social inhibitions because of the anonymity of the internet. The video explains how this effect leads people to behave differently online than in real life, contributing to trolling behavior. It includes factors like dissociative anonymity and invisibility.
💡Dissociative Anonymity
Dissociative anonymity refers to the ability to hide one's true identity online, which can make people feel less responsible for their actions. This concept is part of the Online Disinhibition Effect and is crucial for understanding why people might engage in trolling without fearing consequences.
💡Griefers
Griefers are trolls who irritate others in online gaming communities, often by breaking rules or causing disruptions. The video uses the example of griefers placing TNT in Minecraft to show how their actions can range from harmless fun to harmful behavior like using racial insults.
💡Cyber-bullying
Cyber-bullying involves trolls posting harassing comments, often on sensitive topics like memorial pages for deceased individuals. This type of trolling can have severe emotional impacts on victims, highlighting the darker side of internet interactions covered in the video.
💡Anonymous
Anonymous is a group that emerged from trolling communities like 4chan and uses trolling methods for hacktivism. They oppose online censorship and make political statements, showcasing how trolling can also have social and political motivations.
💡Dark Triad
The Dark Triad refers to three personality traits: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. The video discusses how aggressive trolls often exhibit these traits, which include manipulative behavior, lack of empathy, and taking pleasure in others' pain.
💡Solipsistic Introjection
This concept means creating a character of the other person in your mind based only on their words. It leads to dehumanizing others online, contributing to trolling behavior as it becomes easier to dismiss the real impact of one's actions.
💡Broken Windows Theory
This theory suggests that visible signs of disorder and neglect lead to more disorder and antisocial behavior. The video relates this to online communities, where spaces already plagued by trolling are more likely to attract similar behavior, while well-moderated communities discourage it.
💡Moderation
Moderation refers to the enforcement of rules in online communities to maintain civil conversations. The video discusses how effective moderation can reduce harmful trolling but also raises questions about the balance between moderation and free speech.
Highlights

Trolling is the act of posting off-topic or inflammatory comments to disrupt online conversations.

Trolling can be playful or harmful, with some trolls engaging in cyber-bullying.

Trolling originated in the early 1990s on discussion boards like Usenet.

Early trolling was meant to get a laugh from experienced users by tricking new users.

Modern trolling includes a variety of behaviors, from playful griefing in games to harmful online harassment.

Groups like Anonymous use trolling methods for political activism and opposing online censorship.

The Online Disinhibition Effect describes how anonymity on the Internet loosens social inhibitions.

Six key factors contribute to the Online Disinhibition Effect, including dissociative anonymity and invisibility.

Time disconnect in online conversations allows for more calculated responses and less immediate accountability.

Solipsistic introjection leads to dehumanization of online users, affecting how people interact with them.

Dissociative imagination treats online interactions as a fantasy, making it easier to engage in harmful behaviors.

Minimization of authority online contributes to the freedom to post toxic comments without fear of punishment.

Research on trolling behavior is limited, often relying on self-reported data from online surveys.

Aggressive trolls may exhibit traits associated with the Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad, including Machiavellianism and narcissism.

A 2014 study found correlations between enjoyment of trolling and certain anti-social personality traits.

Only a small fraction of Internet commenters are mean-spirited trolls, according to survey data.

The Internet provides an outlet for individuals with social tendencies that are less acceptable in offline interactions.

Well-moderated communities tend to have more civil conversations, discouraging harmful trolling.

The Broken Windows Theory suggests that areas with existing trolling attract more trolls.

Humanizing victims can help combat aggressive trolling by reducing the Online Disinhibition Effect.

Psychologists are working to understand the motivations behind trolling and how it affects our minds.

The goal is to find an equilibrium where people can express themselves anonymously without hurting others.

Transcripts

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Internet CultureTrollingCyber-bullyingPsychologyOnline BehaviorModerationSocial MediaAnonymityCommunityOnline Safety