Cyber Trolls Are Sadists

[icyfroth]

I found this while I was browsing the news and thought it a good supplement to the faun's thread about trolls and snitches...

Internet trolls who start arguments and make inflammatory remarks to provoke responses online have, unsurprisingly, been found to be psychopaths in real life too.

The latest trolling study from the University of Manitoba in Canada involved two surveys that showed people who troll tend to be sadists or psychopaths.

"Trolling correlated positively with sadism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism, using both enjoyment ratings and identity scores," wrote study author Erin Buckels in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

The researchers found sadism, which is the tendency to derive pleasure from causing others pain or humiliation, was the trat most commonly associated with internet trolling.

Dr Brent Coker, a University of Melbourne online consumer psychologist, told ninemsn that trolls are like the Joker in the Batman movies.

"Their motives are similar – it's somebody who prefers to remain anonymous and they ridicule other people for their own humour," he said.

"People who engage in trolling behaviour are not usually normal in terms of their personality and have inbuilt sadistic traits."

Dr Coker said the internet has provided a forum for these people to derive pleasure, but it's difficult to know whether cyberspace has caused more sadists, or whether the sadists have always been there, but acting in less obvious ways.

"Prior to the internet, they would have done things like malicious gossip –spreading horrible rumours or horrible secrets about other people behind their backs with the intent of causing damage against other people for their own enjoyment," he said.

"Usually human beings feel bad when hurting other people. Sadists don't have that – they don't feel remorse or guilt when they hurt other people. They actually get enormous personal satisfaction and enjoyment from what they do."

Comedians Roy and HG are currently under attack online for their shows about the Sochi Winter Olympics.

"I don't know how they keep so upbeat and happy when they are copping those comments," Dr Coker said.

Scottish speed skater Elise Christie said she almost pulled out of the Sochi games after copping online abuse following a collision last week.

The Australian swimming team blamed their poor performance at the London Olympics on too much time spent on social media, which exposed them to trolls who distracted them and shook their confidence.

From Here

People take way too much notice of what perfect faceless strangers type up to them.

[boris1gary]

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@freakiness wrote:

Sometimes a bit of fun, without any malicious intent, is perceived as trolling when it's not.

There is rarely any trolling on this board and on the odd occasion that there is it doesn't last long and is largely ignored.

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sure, but bullying goes on and some do seem to start it and then others join in, I'm not meaning you or anyone in particular. A lot of people everywhere judge bullying by how they think they would/should respond, put your big girl pants on, just ignore it - I do, that kind of thing. Bullying is a very real problem in all sorts of social situations and what is fun for some can be devastating for others.

[*pepe]

I invite anyone who considers me to be bullying them to report me to the relevant authorities - that way one of us will get an education on just what bullying is.

[izabsmiling]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

As long as the comments are confined to this board  and don't involve divulging private information, I really can't understand why people would need to get uptight about being 'trolled.'

And I'm proud to anounce my mother is STILL doing unspeakable things to those French  bears in the  forest.

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She Ele, you don't need to understand how others may feel.

The act not the effect the act may have is what is wrong.

That's the message that should be being sent out loud and clear.

Rather than the 'get tough and put up with it..swallow a bag of cement' kind of message

In an earlier article here there was tips for administration and reasons why it can result in loss of genuine discussion and silencing of people who genuinely want to take part in discussion rather than rile other people up for their own amusement.(as per the OP study). I hope that our moderation read it .

[boris1gary]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

As long as the comments are confined to this board  and don't involve divulging private information, I really can't understand why people would need to get uptight about being 'trolled.'

And I'm proud to anounce my mother is STILL doing unspeakable things to those French  bears in the  forest.

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Exactly what i mean - ele, just because you can't understand why some people get uptight about being trolled, doesn't make it less upsetting for those who do get upset or uptight. 

[freakiness]

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@boris1gary wrote:

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

As long as the comments are confined to this board  and don't involve divulging private information, I really can't understand why people would need to get uptight about being 'trolled.'

And I'm proud to anounce my mother is STILL doing unspeakable things to those French  bears in the  forest.

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Exactly what i mean - ele, just because you can't understand why some people get uptight about being trolled, doesn't make it less upsetting for those who do get upset or uptight. 

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It gets to the point that every thread turns into a groundhog day of trolling accusations and that is entirely unwarranted.

[chuk_77]

hahahaha, the mods never read posts in context hahaha

I think if you are going to be so against something, you have to be sure not to be doing it yourself

[cherry*135]

• Does the person (any person) resurrect old conversations or discussions that were once controversial within the community?

Yes, I have noticed that here. So that is trolling too? I didn't realise that.

[buzzlightyearsgirlfriend]

[nevynreally]

This has got to be the most telling thread of these forums ever. LOL

[cherry*135]

What is wrong with following the advice in an earlier link... ignore the troll(s)?

It works.

Anyone can join any discussion on CS... stick to the topic (in dedicated threads with a specific topic) & make constructive comments (positive or negative).