Science confirms: Internet trolls are terrible people(arstechnica.com)
arstechnica.com
Science confirms: Internet trolls are terrible people
http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/02/science-confirms-online-trolls-are-horrible-people-also-sadists/
4 comments
[deleted]
Robert Graham (ErrataRob) pointed out some problems with this study: http://blog.erratasec.com/2014/02/that-trollers-are-sadists-...
To me the fact that "trolling" means different things to different people should be enough to render questions on it moot. What I call trolling is playing devils advocate and taking extreme counter-positions to make someone "bite", and isn't really harassment or bullying.
But it's a fine line, and in the end you have to decide whether you're ok under free speech with someone taking the "Hitler was a net positive" position [on a Jewish dating site] or if that's a form of harassment.
But it's a fine line, and in the end you have to decide whether you're ok under free speech with someone taking the "Hitler was a net positive" position [on a Jewish dating site] or if that's a form of harassment.
> Science confirms: Internet trolls are terrible people
Wait, what? "Science confirms"? Mainstream psychology isn't scientific, and this is social psychology, which doesn't even make good fiction.
As usual in psychology articles, even the title contradicts itself -- science doesn't confirm (prove) anything, it can only support theories with evidence, while disproving a few theories along the way.
More here: http://arachnoid.com/building_science
Wait, what? "Science confirms"? Mainstream psychology isn't scientific, and this is social psychology, which doesn't even make good fiction.
As usual in psychology articles, even the title contradicts itself -- science doesn't confirm (prove) anything, it can only support theories with evidence, while disproving a few theories along the way.
More here: http://arachnoid.com/building_science
> Trolls turn out to be extroverts -- but extroverts with "disagreeable" personality traits.
I seriously doubt that extroverts waste their time trolling others online. They probably have much better things to do in real life.
I seriously doubt that extroverts waste their time trolling others online. They probably have much better things to do in real life.
It's interesting that only introverts waste time using computers, phones, and other devices to access networked communication methods. Quite astonishing that everyone I see online is an introvert. Extroverts have no use for these things, instead going outside and never touching anything electronic. When writing letters was more popular it was probably only ever done by introverts too. An extrovert, as a personality type, is far less likely to use every form of communication possible, instead relying on only face to face, real life dialog for their needs to tell other people what is going on in their heads.
Extroverts will tend to use computers to the extent that they help their real life activities, and won't invest significant amounts of time, energy, and psychological engagement into online activities, particularly interaction with online communities.
Uhm no? I'm easily the most extroverted person wherever I go, but still manage to waste quite some time on HN and reddit.
But now, let me tell you about meeeeeeeeeeeee...
But now, let me tell you about meeeeeeeeeeeee...
Keyword is "tend to".