Internet Trolls Are Psychopaths

Internet Trolls Are Psychopaths

In a survey conducted by psychologists from several Canadian universities, web users were asked a series of questions like “How much time do you spend online?” and “Do you comment on YouTube?” They were also asked to agree or disagree with options like “I like to troll people in forums or the comments sections of websites,” “I enjoy playing the villain in games and torturing other characters,” and “I have sent people to shock websites for the lulz.” (Yes, those are the actual questions.) The results of the study pointed to a grim conclusion.

Trolls show several characteristics of the eerily named “Dark Tetrad.” The Dark Tetrad is the intersection of four unpleasant personality traits—sadism, Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. People with these personality traits enjoy hurting others, are incredibly deceitful, and lack remorse for their antics. Researchers have even found a link between these traits and the amount of time spent trolling online, creating a vicious cycle of psychopathy.

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