Posted on 07/21/2017 2:02:05 AM PDT by iowamark
What does looking into the hearts and minds of online trolls tell us?
That's the question Australian researchers tried to answer in a new study that investigates the psychological profile of trolls — that is, computer users who engage in the disturbing 21st century practice of deliberating provoking, demeaning, and threatening others online.
Researchers at Australia's Federation University used an online questionnaire to look closer at a handful of traits — psychopathy, sadism, and empathy — among those who engage in online trolling. The survey included 415 participants, approximately one-third male and two-thirds female, with a median age of 23 years. The researchers controlled the results for gender, a significant factor given that trolls dramatically skew male.
Participants were asked to engage with a range of questions gauging their levels of psychopathy, sadism and empathy. For instance, to what extent do you agree with the statement "People would enjoy hurting others if they gave it a go"?
In terms of empathy, the researchers looked at a number of different forms that trait can take. For instance, cognitive empathy is the capacity to recognize and properly identify another person's emotions. Affective empathy goes farther, referring to the ability to experience, internalize and respond to those observed emotions. Global empathy refers to the reaction one has when directly observing another's life experience.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
agree. Would be breath of fresh air.
Son asked what he should do if the bully started something with him and I told him to “thump” him.
that’s all well and good, but keep in mind some of these ‘bullies’ are really psychopaths who live for their reputations, and would never let go of it with someone who struck back...and they really, really like dishing out the pain...
a stint in the military straightened out of few of these pricks that I knew growing up...
:)
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