A recent study has explored the intriguing relationship between dark humor, online trolling, and certain dark personality traits. The findings reveal that individuals who enjoy dark humor often possess traits such as sadism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Furthermore, these traits are linked to a greater propensity for online trolling. Online trolls enjoyed trolling others, but did not like being trolled themselves. The research was published in Behavioral Sciences.

The rise of social media has provided individuals with new ways to express humor but also to engage in antisocial behaviors online. A survey in the UK found that 75% of individuals between 13 and 36 years of age shared memes online, while over 25% reported being victims of online trolling.

Memes are pieces of media that are “passed very quickly from one internet user to another, often with slight changes that make them humorous.” One reason for their popularity is their ability to communicate about controversial and taboo topics humorously, typically by individuals who are not affected by the topic.

Online trolling is another behavior that has caught the attention of researchers. Trolling involves behaving in a deceptive or disruptive manner on the internet with no apparent instrumental purpose. Trolls typically do not gain any material benefit from their behaviors but engage in trolling for personal enjoyment or to provoke reactions from others.

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PsyPost
July 26, 2024