The Psychology of Trolling

Summary

The video script from SciShow delves into the complex world of internet trolling, exploring its various forms and the motivations behind it. It begins by defining trolling as posting off-topic or inflammatory comments to disrupt online conversations. While some trolls are benign, others engage in harmful behaviors, leading to the common advice of avoiding online comments sections. The video outlines the origins of trolling in the early 1990s on platforms like Usenet and explains the evolution of the term to include a broader range of disruptive behaviors, from playful griefing in gaming to harmful cyberbullying. It also touches on the psychological aspects, introducing the concept of the Online Disinhibition Effect, which describes how the anonymity of the internet can lead to a loosening of social inhibitions. The script discusses the factors contributing to this effect, such as dissociative anonymity and the minimization of authority online. It further examines the correlation between trolling behavior and traits associated with the Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad of personality types. The video concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding the psychology behind trolling to combat its more severe forms and suggests that fostering a sense of community and enforcing civility in online spaces can help reduce harmful trolling. It ends with a reminder to viewers not to engage with trolls, encapsulating the essence of the video's exploration into the multifaceted nature of online trolling.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The Internet is a platform full of information and communities, but it also has dark sides, including trolls who disrupt online conversations.
• 😈 Trolling can range from harmless goofiness to harmful behavior, such as posting inflammatory comments or threats.
• 📚 Trolling originated in the early 1990s on discussion boards like Usenet, where it was initially a form of pranking new users.
• 🎮 Some trolls, known as griefers, disrupt online gaming communities, sometimes escalating to harmful behavior like racial insults.
• 🌐 Groups like Anonymous emerged from trolling communities and use their methods for political activism and opposing online censorship.
• 🚫 Cyber-bullying is a form of trolling that involves harassing individuals, including posting on memorial pages of deceased individuals.
• 🧐 Behavioral scientists are studying the psychology behind why individuals become trolls and the impact of online spaces on behavior.
• 📉 The Online Disinhibition Effect, coined by John Suler, describes how the anonymity of the Internet can lead to a loosening of social inhibitions.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Factors contributing to the Online Disinhibition Effect include anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, dehumanization, and a lack of authority.
• 🧬 Recent studies have linked more aggressive trolling with traits associated with the Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad of personality types.
• 🔑 Only a small fraction of Internet users identify as trolls, suggesting that the majority of online interactions are not malicious.
• 🤔 The psychology of trolling can inform strategies to combat it, such as humanizing victims to make trolls realize the harm they are causing.

Q & A

What does the term 'trolling' generally refer to in the context of online interactions?

Trolling refers to the act of someone posting off-topic or inflammatory comments with the intention of disrupting an online conversation.

When and where is trolling believed to have originated?

Trolling is believed to have originated in the early 1990s on discussion boards like Usenet, which were early versions of message boards or forums.

What is the term coined by John Suler in 2004 that describes the loosening of social inhibitions due to online anonymity?

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

According to Dr. Suler, what are the six key factors that contribute to the Online Disinhibition Effect?

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

What is the term used to describe people who enjoy trolling others online for various reasons, including for a joke or more harmful purposes?

People who enjoy trolling others online are often referred to as 'trolls'.

What is the term used to describe individuals who engage in harmful online gaming behavior, such as placing TNT everywhere in a Minecraft server?

These individuals are known as 'griefers'.

What is the 'Dark Triad' or 'Dark Tetrad', and how is it related to trolling behavior?

The Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad refers to a group of personality traits that include Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism. These traits have been found to correlate with more aggressive kinds of trolls.

What is the 'Broken Windows Theory' as it applies to online communities?

The Broken Windows Theory in the context of online communities suggests that areas with a history of trolling are more likely to attract further negative behavior, while communities that enforce civility tend to deter harmful trolls.

What does the phrase 'don't feed the trolls' mean, and why is it a recommended strategy?

The phrase 'don't feed the trolls' means to avoid responding or engaging with trolls, as it can encourage their disruptive behavior. It is recommended because engaging with trolls often gives them the attention they seek, which can exacerbate the situation.

What is the role of anonymity in the behavior of trolls, and how can reducing anonymity potentially combat aggressive trolling?

Anonymity on the Internet can fuel aggressive trolling by allowing individuals to behave without fear of personal consequences. Reducing anonymity can combat this by making trolls realize their actions have real-world implications and can harm others.

What is the significance of humanizing oneself when dealing with trolls, and how can it potentially reduce harmful interactions?

Humanizing oneself makes it more difficult for trolls to dehumanize and dissociate from the person they are targeting. This can lead to a realization that their actions have real emotional impacts on actual people, potentially reducing harmful interactions.

How does the anonymity of the Internet contribute to the Online Disinhibition Effect, and what are some of the negative consequences that can arise from it?

The anonymity of the Internet allows people to hide their true identities, leading to a sense of invisibility and irresponsibility. This can result in more disinhibited behavior, including trolling, cyberbullying, and other forms of harmful online interactions.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Understanding Trolling on the Internet

This paragraph introduces the concept of trolling, which is the act of posting off-topic or provocative comments online to disrupt conversations. It distinguishes between harmless trolls, who may be playful or humorous, and those who engage in harmful behavior, such as cyberbullying or posting offensive content. The paragraph also discusses the origins of trolling in the early 1990s on platforms like Usenet and how it has evolved to include various forms of disruptive online behavior. It raises questions about the motivations behind trolling and introduces the Online Disinhibition Effect, a term coined by John Suler to describe the loss of social inhibitions due to online anonymity.

05:03

🤔 The Psychology Behind Trolling

This paragraph delves into the psychological factors that contribute to the Online Disinhibition Effect, which allows people to behave differently online than in real life. It outlines six key factors that lead to this effect, including the ability to hide one's true identity, the invisibility of text-based communication, the asynchronous nature of online interactions, the dehumanization of other users, dissociative imagination, and the minimization of authority online. The paragraph also explores the motivations of trolls, mentioning recent studies that link aggressive trolling behavior with traits associated with the Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad of personality traits. It discusses the small percentage of trolls who engage in harmful behavior and the ongoing research to understand the motivations behind trolling. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on how understanding the psychology of trolling can help combat its more serious forms and the importance of fostering civil online communities.

Keywords

💡Trolling

Trolling is the act of intentionally posting provocative or off-topic messages online with the aim of causing disruption or upsetting others. It is a central theme in the video, which explores the different types and motivations behind trolling behavior. The script discusses both harmless trolling, such as posting goofy comments, and harmful trolling, which can escalate to cyberbullying and threats.

💡Online Disinhibition Effect

This term, coined by John Suler, describes the phenomenon where individuals feel less restrained in their online interactions due to the anonymity the internet provides. It is a key concept in the video as it helps explain why people engage in trolling behavior. The script outlines six factors contributing to this effect, such as the ability to hide one's true identity and the lack of immediate social feedback.

💡Griefers

Griefers are individuals who engage in trolling behavior within online gaming communities with the intent to disrupt or harm the experience of others, often through destructive actions like placing TNT in a Minecraft server. The video uses the example of griefers to illustrate a form of trolling that can cross the line from playful to harmful.

💡Hacktivism

Hacktivism refers to the use of internet-based sabotage or hacking to promote a social or political cause, often associated with groups like Anonymous. The video discusses how some communities that celebrate trolling, such as 4chan, have given rise to hacktivism as a form of activism that leverages the anonymity of the internet.

💡Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. The video highlights that some forms of trolling are essentially cyberbullying, with examples such as posting harassing comments on memorial pages for deceased individuals.

💡Dissociative Anonymity

Dissociative anonymity is one of the factors of the Online Disinhibition Effect and refers to the ability to separate one's online persona from their real-life identity. The video explains that this factor contributes to the sense of invisibility and irresponsibility that can lead to trolling behavior.

💡Asynchronous Communication

Asynchronous communication is a form of communication that does not require participants to be online simultaneously. The video mentions that this aspect of online interaction allows for more calculated responses and can contribute to the disinhibition effect, as individuals have time to craft their messages without immediate feedback.

💡Solipsistic Introjection

Solipsistic introjection is the act of creating a mental image of another person based on their online interactions. The video explains that this can lead to a dehumanization of the other person, making it easier for trolls to engage in harmful behavior without empathy.

💡Dissociative Imagination

Dissociative imagination is the perception of online interactions as a fantasy rather than reality. The video suggests that this perception can contribute to the ease with which trolls can engage in disruptive behavior, viewing it as a game that can be easily exited.

💡Minimization of Authority

Minimization of authority refers to the lack of clearly defined authority figures online, which can embolden individuals to express themselves more freely, including making toxic comments. The video discusses how this factor can contribute to trolling behavior by reducing the fear of punishment.

💡Dark Tetrad

The Dark Tetrad is a group of four personality traits that are associated with negative social behaviors: Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism. The video describes how recent studies have found correlations between individuals who enjoy trolling and these traits, suggesting a psychological basis for such behavior.

💡Broken Windows Theory

The Broken Windows Theory is a concept from social science that suggests that environments with signs of disorder encourage further disorderly behavior. The video uses this theory to explain how online spaces with a history of trolling can attract more trolls, while well-moderated communities can discourage harmful behavior.

Highlights

Trolling is defined as posting off-topic or inflammatory comments to disrupt online conversations.

Trolls can be harmless and playful, or harmful and engage in cyberbullying.

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

The Online Disinhibition Effect describes how the internet loosens social inhibitions due to anonymity.

There are six key factors that contribute to the Online Disinhibition Effect.

Aggressive trolls often lack empathy and display traits associated with the Dark Triad personality traits.

Only a small fraction of internet users are mean-spirited trolls.

Toxic online interactions may stem from a lack of meaningful social feedback.

Well-moderated online communities tend to have more civil conversations.

The Broken Windows Theory suggests that areas with mean-spirited trolling attract more trolls.

There are ethical questions around online moderation and anonymity.

Un-doing the Online Disinhibition Effect by humanizing victims can help combat aggressive trolling.

Feminist activist Lindy West's experience with trolling led to a troll's apology and change in behavior.

Trolling behavior varies from harmless derailing of conversations to harmful bullying with serious consequences.

Psychologists are studying the motivations and impacts of trolling behavior.

The goal is to enable anonymous expression online without causing harm to others.

The advice is to not feed the trolls - ignore their provocations.

Transcripts

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 inflammatory comment to disrupt

an online conversation.

Not all trolls are bad!

Sometimes they’re just goofy, like our own dear litojonny and his questions about butt

hair.

But others can be more harmful.

You might’ve heard the warning, “don’t read the comments” -- to try and avoid potentially

aggressive online interactions.

But who are the people writing these kinds of comments in the first place, and why do

they do what they do?

What goes through the mind of a troll?

First, let’s talk about different kinds of trolling.

We think trolling began in the early 1990s, on discussion boards like Usenet- basically

early versions of message boards or forums.

Experienced users would go trolling for newbies, by asking overly naive questions, or by making

new posts about topics that had been wayy over-discussed.

Veterans on the site would recognize each other’s usernames and realize what was going

on, so only new users would fall for the trap and answer them.

This relatively harmless form of trolling was meant to get a laugh from people in-the-know

-- they were in it for the lulz.

Nowadays, the definition of trolling includes a lot of different kinds of people.

For example, some people who self-identify as trolls irritate others for the sake of

a joke -- like so-called griefers in online gaming communities.

Like when someone gets onto your minecraft server and just puts TNT everywhere.

But griefers can also engage in more harmful behavior, going beyond playful rule-breaking

and slinging racial insults and threats to upset other players.

Some groups like Anonymous have grown out of communities that basically celebrate trolling,

like 4chan, and use its methods to oppose online censorship, or make political statements

through hacktivism, taking advantage of the anonymity of the Internet.

But, other kinds of trolling are essentially cyber-bullying -- like the trolls who descend

on the memorial pages for deceased teenagers to post harassing comments.

No matter the cause, it’s hard for victims to distinguish between empty threats and real

threats online, which can leave people stressed and scared.

So, some behavioral scientists are trying to get to the bottom of it.

The Internet is still a fairly new place, so psychologists are still figuring out how

online spaces affect our psyche and behaviors.

Some research has started to answer the big question: what makes a troll?

Back in 2004 -- before Twitter, before YouTube, before Reddit -- a scientist named John Suler

coined a term to describe the loosening of social inhibitions because of the anonymity

of the Internet: the Online Disinhibition Effect.

Basically, people are willing to behave differently online than in real life.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can be.

Dr. Suler believed that there were six key factors that contributed to this effect:

First, dissociative anonymity describes the ability to hide your true identity online.

This gives people the sense that their online actions can’t be linked back to real life,

and can remove a sense of responsibility.

Next, because social media and online forums usually rely on text-based communication,

this also instills a sense of invisibility.

Without eye contact or body language, commenters can become more disinhibited.

Plus, online conversations can have a time disconnect, or asynchronicity, meaning that

you don’t have to immediately respond to someone.

You can disengage and re-engage whenever you want, and craft your responses more carefully

than in face-to-face conversation.

It can also be hard to see other Internet users as real people who are affected by the

things we say and do.

And one part of that is solipsistic introjection, which means you basically create a character

of the other person in your mind.

By only having their words to read, you can sort of hear their responses in an imagined

voice in your head.

So, the other person has become dehumanized.

As a result, there’s a disconnect between the real conversation you’re having and

your constructed version of the other person.

This then can lead to dissociative imagination, where online interactions are seen more as

a fantasy than a reality.

They can almost become a game -- one that’s easy to turn off and walk away from.

This could be especially relevant to griefers -- they’re just people playing a different

kind of online game, one that’s more about a social experiment and messing with other

players.

And when it comes to trolling, a big part is the minimization of authority -- the lack

of clearly defined authority figures online.

Viewing other users as peers makes it easier to say whatever you want, including toxic

comments, because there’s no fear of punishment.

Since the first description of the Online Disinhibition Effect, Internet communities

have grown, and so has our definition of trolling.

But the research on trolling behavior is still pretty sparse.

Most studies are completed through online surveys, so they rely on participants to self-report

what they do.

And, since there are lots of different kinds of trolls, the psychology behind the actions

and reactions that they cause can be varied.

What motivates someone to consistently comment about butt hair is almost definitely not the

same thing that motivates a troll to spam someone with death threats.

Some recent studies have focused on more aggressive kinds of trolls, and the presence of traits

associated with the so-called Dark Triad or Dark Tetrad.

And the name is... uh… pretty fitting for this group of personality traits:

For example, one personality type is known as the Machiavellian -- which is predisposed

to being cold and detached in order to manipulate others.

Narcissism, on the other hand, indicates an inflated sense of self and lack of empathy

toward other people.

You might also have heard of the term psychopathy.

Psychologists refer to this more accurately as antisocial personality disorder -- it results

in an inability to feel empathy or guilt, and a tendency to take advantage of other

people.

And sadism describes the tendency to take pleasure from other’s pain.

….which is some pretty dark stuff.

In 2014, in an online survey of over 400 people, those who said they enjoyed trolling other

people -- for example, by linking them to jump-scare websites, or griefing in games

-- had positive correlations with several of these personality traits.

And people who spent the most overall time posting comments online tended to have more

anti-social motivations.

Rather than participating in message board conversations and online gaming to make friends,

they were in it for the trolling.

But also, only around 5% of survey respondents specifically said that they enjoyed trolling,

out of the 60% that said they interact with people online in some way, like by posting

comments.

So this suggests that mean-spirited trolls only make up a small fraction of Internet

commenters, and an even smaller fraction of everyone online.

These results may sound pretty intuitive, but it’s still interesting that there’s

some correlation between some self-identified trolls and these personality traits.

Plus, it highlights how the Internet can provide an outlet for some individuals with these

social tendencies that are less acceptable to express in offline interactions.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that all self-identified trolls are sadistic or narcissists.

But it is causing more psychologists to ask interesting questions about the motivations

of people who troll.

Their research could help everyone understand online trolling a little better -- and, how

to deal with the harmful ones.

Many people think that toxic online interactions stem from a lack of meaningful social feedback,

to help people adjust their behavior.

After all, the Internet is still pretty new -- new enough that it’s not always clear

what the social rules are.

And it’s really big -- so there are a lot of different kinds of communities where different

behaviors are acceptable, or not.

So how can we make more spaces on the Internet fun and more comfortable for communities,

and avoid the worst kinds of cyber-bullies and the more vicious trolls?

Many activists say that well-moderated communities tend to have more civil conversations.

This is linked to the concept used by some social scientists, known as the Broken Windows

Theory.

This says that, for example, areas that have already been hit by vandals are more likely

to be targeted again.

In other words: where there’s already lots of mean-spirited trolling, similar trolls

will congregate.

On the other hand, communities that already have and enforce civil conversations, will

discourage more harmful trolls.

But intense moderation may make free-speech activists cringe.

Some people argue that everyone has the right to express themselves however they want, even

if others find it offensive or upsetting.

So there are still lots of unanswered questions about the ethics of moderation and anonymity

in online environments.

But what we do understand about the psychology of trolling can help combat its more serious

forms.

For example, if the anonymity of the Internet is part of what fuels aggressive trolls, then

one way to stop them is to un-do the Online Disinhibition Effect.

If a victim manages to humanize themselves, then it might become harder for a troll to

keep dissociating, and then they might realize they’re doing real harm.

Feminist activist and writer Lindy West was trolled repeatedly by a man who was imitating

her deceased father on Twitter.

She wrote a poignant piece about the experience.

And to her surprise, the man behind the Twitter account reached out to directly apologize.

In further conversation, he said that after he read her writing about the experience,

he was actually able to recognize that she was a real, living human being who was receiving

his insults and cruelty.

So it’s pretty clear that there are a lot of different flavors of trolling, and the

mechanisms behind it can vary, too.

Some of it’s pretty harmless, derailing conversations to get a laugh or mess with

other players in a game.

But some of it can turn into bullying and have serious consequences.

Psychologists are trying to understand where this behavior comes from, and how these interactions

affect our minds.

Hopefully in the future, we’ll reach an equilibrium where people on the Internet can

feel free to express themselves anonymously without hurting others.

And in the meantime, just remember: don’t feed the trolls.

Thanks for watching this episode of SciShow, which was brought to you by our patrons on

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