I was engaged through my Rugby-Talk E-Mail Address by a gentleman who sent me this very interesting piece on The Psychology of the Internet Troll.
Full credit for what follows goes to the following website and link: http://academicearth.org/electives/psychology-internet-troll
We’ve all been subjected to these Trolls and Rugby-Talk has it’s existence largely to thank due to these “Keyboard Warriors”, because we broke away as a group from a website where that was all too common, vowing not to let it happen here at Rugby-Talk.
I have had the displeasure to expel a few of these creatures, who have attempted their stunts here, but luckily we set the ground rules for participation here strongly from the outset and have controlled things well, so as not to allow these idiots to ruin our enjoyment of the game of rugby here at Rugby-Talk.
To keep them out, pre-suposes an online presense of a strict set of controls and a no-nonsense approach from the webmaster, something I do not do out of choice, but rather because I have to.
Have a good read and watch the video below:
We all behave differently when alone. Anonymity frees us from a perceived obligation to act in accordance with certain social norms. For example, most people refrain from picking their nose in public, but dig with abandon when alone. This isn’t revelatory – fear of judgment is a powerful motivator and is well documented by psychologists.1 So, while most of our anonymous behavior is relatively benign, what happens when it isn’t?
In 1981, Leon Mann published a study documenting the phenomenon of suicide baiting.2 Studying the circumstances surrounding 21 public suicide attempts, Mann observed that in 10 cases victims were jeered and baited to, “jump!” He identified several contributing factors to this anti-social behavior including membership in a large crowd, the cover of night, and relative distance from the victim – all hallmarks of anonymity. The irony here is that while a focused set of watchful eyes keeps us in check, the distracted eyes of many don’t.
Anonymity makes all the difference, and unfortunately, this frees some to partake in some pretty egregious behavior. This is particularly true online. We’re 20 years into the experiment of the World Wide Web, and we can clearly see how Internet anonymity plays out across social media, chat rooms, and comment sections. Usually just a nuisance, anonymous troublemakers, known as trolls, can be dangerous when they go after the vulnerable. In an effort to better understand what makes them tick, psychologists are starting to take a closer look at the psychology of the Internet troll.
Created by AcademicEarth.org
Here is a transcript of the VIDEO above:
At their most benign, trolls raise blood pressures across Internet chat rooms. At their worst, they push innocents to a lethal breaking point. But why? Why engage in such anti-social behavior? Those trying to understand, motivated by the desire to best the troll, find as many answers to this question as trolls themselves. Some assume trolls are bullies, cowards, or sociopaths. Is this true? Sometimes, but as David Auerbach posits in, anonymity as culture: treatise, “…there’s no way to know the views of the participants.”1 They’re anonymous players in a game without rules.
Without the why, perhaps understanding lies in the mechanism for how trolls engage in such behavior. How can someone who outwardly appears to respect social norms (going to work, raising a family) so easily adopt a contrarian alter-ego? In a word, disinhibition – the phenomenon wherein one abandons social inhibitions that would normally be present in face-to-face interactions.
In what he calls, the online disinhibition effect, psychologist, John Suller, explains that anonymity afforded by the Internet sets the stage for trolling.2 Similar behaviors were observed over CB radios in the 1970s when airwaves were infected by racist ramblings and disturbing masturbation fantasies.3 Arguably, the Internet is more disposed to this behavior, because, as Auerbach observes, this is the first time where “discourse is primarily written rather than spoken.”
Suller identifies six factors contributing to the online disinhibition effect.
Dissociative Anonymity and Invisibility: You don’t know me, and you can’t see me.
Michael Brutsch, a computer programmer, cat-lover, and family man, turned himself into Violentacrez, the infamous Reddit smut-peddler who earned fandom through moderating controversial subreddits like “Jailbait.” The Internet allows one to reinvent him or herself behind an anonymous veil. The obvious irony is that Brutsch was outed by Gawker. A fool-proof system, it is not.
Asynchronicity: See you later.
Trolling comes from the fishing technique of setting one’s baited line in the water, dragging it behind the boat, and waiting for a bite. The activity is passive, allowing one to go about his or her business while waiting for results. The same principle plays out online. Brian Limond, a self-confessed troll and atheist prefers going after his own. His chum of choice – posing as a devout Christian. Setting his bait in the Twittersphere, “It’s such a shame that athiests will never know true love. #atheism,” he sits back, enjoys that beer, and watches as the infuriated godless bite.
Solipsistic Introjection: It’s all in my head.
Without the visual cues of face-to-face conversation, one is free to assign characteristics to those they encounter online. Discussing what he calls A-culture, Auerbach asserts that introverts who once found solace and community online felt threatened when Facebook took it away, turning safe anonymity into a competition for attention. Participants in A-culture see outsiders as a threat to their territory.
Dissociative Imagination: It’s just a game.
Violentacrez illustrates how one might dismiss trolling as “just a game.” Reddit assigns “karma points” to popular subreddits, motivating people to actively moderate provocative content. Justifying his anti-social persona in the name of the game, Violentacrez admitted creating racist and misogynistic subreddits in an attempt to accumulate “meaningless Internet points” – he was wildly successful.
Minimizing Authority: We’re all equals.
The Internet provides a unique opportunity for individuals to interact freely across the social strata. This is notably true in politics. Some political parties hire people to troll forums, spreading their rhetoric. Perhaps only online can a troll launch ad hominem attacks “directly” at the President, a privilege once reserved for pundits.
The online disinhibition effect illustrates that trolls are opportunistic, playing an online game rooted in their anonymity. Simple, really. Do note, however, that each factor relies on a common thread to make it viable – people willing to engage the troll. Trolling is not a game of solitaire. Unless we want to actively suppress freedom of speech, the only way to beat a troll is to not play the game.
(1 Auerbach, David. “Anonymity as Culture: Treatise.” Issue #15 – Triple Canopy. Triple Canopy, 09 Feb. 2012. Web.)
OK, hands up… who reminds you most of an Internet Troll?
I can only remember some from the bad old Voldy days… Skopskiet, ET, Langehoven, Dawn and those idiots!
Jeeeez, we’ve gone over 6.9 million page impressions since 31 October 2009 here!
@ grootblousmile:
Ek wonder of San Langkop(G10 se gatgabba) nog lewe? Sal my nie verbaas as hy n ‘slow puncture’ daar in die Britse hole opgedoen het nie, soos wat hy gespog het met al sy seksuele eskapades…siek skepsel gewees daai. En daai Capo troll, aka KhoisanKing aka Lukeisbaas aka AK aka Oddball.
Ek dink egter nie Skopskiet was n troll nie, die ou was ernstig oor sy rugby, hy is maar net deur die blare, het seker ‘bossies’ geraak van al daai landmynhoender, dog biscuits en Ovambop**le wat hy op die grens geeet het !
‘ET’ was net plein mal en bitter van rassisme gewees, ook gedog hy sal na die ‘struggle’ n kaartjie vir die soustrein by Trevor Manual kry, toe trek die ANC n ‘malema’ op hom.
Dawn was ok, n heel vermaaklike en pittige antietjie daai.
Ek wonder wat van die spul geword het?
3 @ Pietman:
Ek voel flokkol vir hulle of wat van hulle geword het.
Die nice ouens daar, wat nie met ons moeilikheidsoekerig was nie, hulle sal ek gaag eendag hier wil sien, op hulle eie tyd… soos hulle dit goed ag.
Het jy die Artikel gelees en na die video gekyk?
party keer raak ek lelik ongeskik hier maar verstaan asb dis passie wat dit veroorsaak.passie vir die game wat ek vir 25 jaar gespeel het en al my hele lewe slaafs navolg…..die passie sluit natuurlik sharks bashing in hahahaha
@ smallies:
jou sal ek nie asn trol klasifiseer nie, nee dald net n blikoor met blinkers.
Bliksem amper, maar hy is eerder n skoorsoeker. En n erg frustreerde WP mannetjie. Wonder wat ek sou wees as my span soveel jare try en f-ol wen nie.
Shame.
Meeste van daai mense is nog daar, met ander wat bygekom het.
Sean het ek lank laas gesien, maar die res maak nog hul stemme dik.
7 @ Stormersboy:
Hehehe
Seriously??
Fark, does one not get tired of trolling after 4 years???
@ grootblousmile:
I don’t get it, the guy you meet on the forums (Stormersboy) is the same guy you have a beer with.
It’s a curious phenomenon. You should check out CNN’s comments section. Amazing that they publish some of the stuff.
9 @ Stormersboy:
Luckily I have met a host of bloggers here and had a good kuier with all of them. Some others, like yourself I have not met but we’ve spoken on the phone often enough.
I appreciate genuine people, who are what they are, warts and all!
Did you watch the video / read the transcript? It seems some fools get some form of cryptinite or some inspiration from the anonymity of being a blogger…. farking strange farkers!
@ grootblousmile:
My wife (who is a psychologist) and I have had discussion about this a few times now. She reads my posts sometimes and as you say the Voldi Trolls make for great entertainment.
We also speak about this in the context of driving and road rage. People seem to have a feeling of invincibility in their cars as well. They will get angry to the extent that they never would if they were faced with those people in real life.
Strange indeed.
I will watch the video later when I have my proper internet connection.
smallies se dstv is uiteindelik weer reg whoooooooohooooooo
Lekker smallies, geniet Willie se manewales Saterdag 🙂
Ja, some of the guys on Voldy do know their rugby, but others just seem to know how to get up your nose. Normally the first 10 comments are good rugby comments, then the whole thread degenerates, and rugby is forgotten. Still happens today. Most comments and post here are fantastic. One of the better sites around.
14 @ Lion4ever:
Shame on you this is not one of the better sites… it is THE BEST one around… hehehe
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