[Article] Internet Trolls Are Narcissists, Psychopaths, and Sadists. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response.

[breadstal2]

In this month's issue of Personality and Individual Differences, a study was published(link is external)that confirms what we all suspected: Internet trolls are horrible people. 

 

Let's start by getting our definitions straight: An Internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation. Often, in fact, it seems like there is no real purpose behind their comments except to upset everyone else involved. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response. 

 

What kind of person would do this? Some Canadian researchers decided to find out.

They conducted two online studies with over 1,200 people, giving personality tests to each subject along with a survey about their Internet commenting behavior. They were looking for evidence that linked trolling with the "Dark Tetrad" of personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism. 

 

They found that Dark Tetrad scores were highest among people who said trolling was their favorite Internet activity. To get an idea of how much more prevalent these traits were among Internet trolls, see this figure from the paper:

 

Look at how low the Dark Tetrad scores are for everyone except the trolls! Their scores for all four traits soar on the chart. The relationship between trolling and the Dark Tetrad is so significant that the authors write in their paper:

 

"... the associations between sadism and GAIT (Global Assessment of Internet Trolling) scores were so strong that it might be said that online trolls are 

prototypical everyday sadists

."

 [emphasis added]

 

 

 

Trolls truly enjoy making you feel bad. To quote the authors once more (because this is a truly quotable article): "Both trolls and sadists feel sadistic glee at the distress of others. Sadists just want to have fun ... and the Internet is their playground!"

 

The next time you encounter a troll online, remember:

1. These trolls are some truly difficult people.
2. It is your suffering that brings them pleasure, so the best thing you can do is ignore them. 
    

References

Buckels, Erin E., Paul D. Trapnell, and Delroy L. Paulhus. "Trolls just want to have fun."Personality and Individual Differences67 (2014): 97-102.

 

source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-online-secrets/201409/internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists

 

Do you agree with this article? What are your thoughts? 

[latte]

i do agree with this article.. a few of my friends in real life are internet trolls and they do come across as very narcissistic and like to poke fun at you and watch you get uncomfortable.

 

however, i still do agree that trolls do what they do because they may feel insecure about themselves, and choose to put on a front and put others down to make themselves feel better. i don't know, it's complex.

[____shawnee]

*speaks into megaphone*

"The next time you encounter a troll online, remember:

the best thing you can do is ignore them. "

[DragonFury]

In tonight's news: A collection of statements you already knew to be true a long time ago. Film at 11. 

[mijoolyz]

Who cares? Yuju just had a solo collab

[Guest]

This is not a shocking revelation...

Trolling is an enactment of one's sadistic and narcissistic impulses.

These people are addled by delusions of grandeur and have a very inflated sense of importance.. Nothing satiates their ego more than an outpour of outrage. 

[die pony die]

who are we to disagree with a scientific study run by porfessionals 

[kimchi-nyoen]

Trolls are so annoying

[Somnia]

Yep, I know some trolls irl

[♩ ♪ ♫ ♬]

their lives are failures so they act out online, people should be more sympathetic :(

[Stepkdramafan226]

Trolls are so annoying

 

 

that statement coming from you...

[lightoflove]

trolls are legitimately losers, but the thing that baffles me is the people who respond to trolls.....like. it kills me to see people fall for troll bait and in the process make issues bigger than they have to be. you're only playing yourself. 

[kxjay]

Trolls are so annoying

I know right? Trolls needa get a life!

[nancy mcflurry]

*speaks into megaphone*

"The next time you encounter a troll online, remember:

the best thing you can do is ignore them. "

TRUTH

[Black Alien Oppa]

trolls are legitimately losers, but the thing that baffles me is the people who respond to trolls.....like. it kills me to see people fall for troll bait and in the process make issues bigger than they have to be. you're only playing yourself.