Troll psychology (Patreon)

Being this is the end of the month and the worst time for Trolls (and boy do I get them, the last 3 days of every month is worst.) I thought id post something on it.

What is it with people’s behavior online? What is the difference between a Troll and a Snow flake?  Why the readiness to attack, the shitty tone, the lack of courtesy towards someone (hey asshole you spelt experience wrong) who takes the time and effort that they don't pay for, content that is clearly professional ? Yeah we all know anonymity brings  out the worst in people, which when taken to extremes turns into trolling, that bizarre impulsive habit of hurting others online, without consequence.

Well Egg heads set out to discover what traits in “normal” people might make them go the Troll route. Using an online questionnaire, the researchers at the School of Health Science and Psychology at Federation University in Mount Helen tested over 400 men and women for a range of personality traits, as well as for online behaviour and attitudes that indicated they are or could be Trolls —such as agreeing with the statement, “Although some people think my posts/comments are offensive, I think they are funny.”

The researchers were looking for character traits including social skills, psychopathy, sadism, and two types of empathy: affective and cognitive. Having high cognitive empathy simply means they can understand others’ emotions. Having high affective empathy means a person can experience, internalize, and respond to those emotions.  The “trolls” in the study scored higher than average on two traits: psychopathy and cognitive empathy.

So even though “trolls” show one kind of empathy, coupling it with psychopathy ultimately makes them nasty, the researchers suggested. Psychopathy, which includes a lack of care for others’ feelings, was measured using a scale where participants were asked to agree or disagree with a set of statements one being, “payback needs to be quick and nasty.” "I enjoy being on a YOUTUBERS page that lots of other people enjoy"

High levels of cognitive empathy make these people clued in on spotting what will hurt others, and knowing when they’ve pushed the right buttons. The lack of empathy allows trolls not to experience or internalise the  hurt or anger of their victims.

“Results indicate that when high on trait psychopathy, trolls employ an empathic strategy of predicting and recognising the emotional suffering of their victims, while abstaining from the experience of these negative emotions,” the researchers wrote. They added that because psychopathy is associated with thrill-seeking and impulsivity, it’s possible that “creating mayhem online is a central motivator to troll.” They also found that trolls were likely to be high in sadism—the need to hurt others—and were more likely to be male (that's a shocker).

In previous research, people who display psychopathic traits have shown a similar empathy imbalance: a lack affective empathy but normal levels of cognitive empathy. This study linked those psychopathic traits and higher cognitive empathy levels to people who are likely to troll. Studies also show these tough guys and gals behind a keyboard are generally picked on in life, overlooked and ignored and this is their chance to pay people back for what they perceive as this unjust life they have been given.

Apparently (their words not mine) Exploring the link between psychopathy, high cognitive empathy, and trolling could help deepen our understanding of the personality types that gravitate towards that behavior, and potentially help to stop them, which I dont believe because I think people will never stop what they enjoy.

I always wonder where the line on being a troll is, I had a message this morning about what a piece of shit I was of making a joke about someone being Lynched in on of my films. Now I did not watch that film to confirm it, Im pretty sure I didn't make fun of someone being lynched, I may have made a joke but would not "Make fun of" I don't think in any of my films i've ever made fun of any victim but I think the snowflake for me at least is borderline troll because they come to be offended and then leave as nast a remark as they can despite all the warnings I give.

Thoughts?

DEADBUG