Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

Internet Troll Personality Study


Still Waters

Recommended Posts

In the past few years, the science of Internet trollology has made some strides. Last year, for instance, we learned that by hurling insults and inciting discord in online comment sections, so-called Internet trolls (who are frequently anonymous) have a polarizing effect on audiences, leading to politicization, rather than deeper understanding of scientific topics.

http://www.slate.com...sychopathy.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

In other breaking news, the question of papal Catholicism has been stunningly answered in the affirmative and the exact scatelogical depoistorial locale used by Bears has been identified as being a heavily wooded area.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, kind of a 'no-brainer' really.

Oh, I guess trolls can be oddly amusing. But...when you have to officially deal with them...not so much.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Better online than for real I guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see lots of trolling in multiplayer games. It's amazing how much you see it occurring. I'm not sure if all of them though would be classed as having these personality traits though because it seems a certain age group does it more than other age groups. So the younger ages of 10ish arnt so outspoken and rude but between ruffly 12-20 yr olds can be pretty horrible characters. But I think that's a part of why its occurring, they are playing a character.

What I think is happening though is the younger players are learning from the older players. So when the younger player gets called names for being younger(like squeakers)and have trolling things happening to them, they then have learned this type of behaviour from a 'role model' and think that's how you act online. So it continues and is almost like bullying. The one bullied turns into the bully.

I don't understand people who troll on chatting websites though. I mainly read when online, especially the news and what people are talking about it. I see the trolls quite often posting away and because their age seems to be older, I think they are the ones more defined by this type of study. I think the worst ones though are the ones that hide/lie and manipulate others over time into believing a certain type of character they are playing. I think those ones are the true sociopaths("dark tetrad" types)and like White Crane said.... I suppose its better to have to deal with them online than for real. Problem is though, online now is pretty much the new 'real'.

So they can tarnish you when people want to find information about you for example. And that's what those types of personalities enjoy.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think trolls who are just funny and entertaining are cool.

But the ones who are annoying or insult people to much are not cool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trolls can be fun.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, kind of a 'no-brainer' really.

Oh, I guess trolls can be oddly amusing. But...when you have to officially deal with them...not so much.

Not terribly hard to deal with, just ban them and let someone else deal with them.

Though, I am curious how they managed to get trolls to confess they were trolls and answer questions for the purpose of the study?

Edited by keninsc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not terribly hard to deal with, just ban them and let someone else deal with them.

The difficult part is figuring out if someone is actually trolling, or just doesn't understand how to conform to basic rules of civility. Trolls are also rather like Stephen King's "Pet Cemetary"...they tend to comeback from the dead (with other identities).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The difficult part is figuring out if someone is actually trolling, or just doesn't understand how to conform to basic rules of civility. Trolls are also rather like Stephen King's "Pet Cemetary"...they tend to comeback from the dead (with other identities).

True, sort of like a recurring Zombie Apocalypse.

(we need a zombie emoticon)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Just people on the internet trying to be funny. On a website called powerbot i obtained a reputation as one of the biggest trolls on that site when in reality i was just being myself. I guess i came of as a "troll" due to my ability to argue with people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic was featured in a few episodes of Season 2 of "The Newsroom" (HBO).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The difficult part is figuring out if someone is actually trolling, or just doesn't understand how to conform to basic rules of civility. Trolls are also rather like Stephen King's "Pet Cemetary"...they tend to comeback from the dead (with other identities).

Yes... I can think of one particular poster that always manages to insult people he try's to debate with. it used to bug me to no end, but I have met children like this. It's usually always the case that they have an older sibling that they are constantly fighting with and constantly belittling. They are together everyday and it becomes simply how they relate to each other. They then relate to others the same way. It looks like the person is just being a prick, but in reality this person knows no different but to be in constant "competition" with others. It simply becomes a habit of their personality. I have noticed that people slightly on the spectrum are more susceptible to having their verbal guard and daggers up all the time. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt now... Though its hard. I don't like bullying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.