One subject that has been of great interest to me, as a perpetual student of psychology, has been the fascinating way that strangers interact, on the internet. I grew up in the era very much dominated by online interaction. The way that society’s behaviour and focus, transitioned from the 1980’s, through to the 1990’s, is an area of much study and conversation. If you do a little research into it, the way that human society functioned, socially, comparatively from the 80’s, through to, say, the 2000’s, truly is a fascinating case study. The earlier eras of contemporary human society was very much predicated on in-person socially-focused behaviours, and this rapidly changed, through the next 20-30 years, as the creation of internet chat rooms, and social media, started to morph human interaction.
I think it’s fair to say this has had many positive impacts, and has certainly expanded and developed our portals of entertainment, and access to knowledge, but simultaneously, has had many detrimental effects on the median human attention span, for one, and particularly, has offered many nefarious individuals, the opportunity to speak and act in the most abhorrent terms, with complete impunity. But why do I bring this matter up, in the context of animal rights, and activism? Well, I think it’s fair to say many of us are engaged in activism, predominantly, online, and this can be an effective resource in educating, and changing people’s minds. Much of human society tends to now adopt communication habits, predominantly, via online social media resources, so utilising these, for activist purposes, can be a powerful tool, in reaching many more individuals, than in-person, street activism, which ironically, can make people uncomfortable. This being said, the one huge drawback, and generally most significant obstacle, to utilisation of these, is drawing the inevitable attention of what we call internet “trolls.” It is empowering to know the psychology of one’s opposition, and to have the apparatus to counter their aggressions.
Advocating for any social justice movement is synonymous with drawing attention from the worst individuals in society, and this is what we can objectively observe from prior social justice movements. For instance, when the abolitionist era began to gain traction, it was the most vehemently racially prejudiced, pro-human-slavery advocates that fought the hardest against it. Likewise, through the 1960’s/70’s/80’s, during the social justice movement advocating for the rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals, it was the most violent and oppressive people who fought the loudest and hardest, to keep the liberties of these marginalised groups, oppressed. Now that it’s become a relatively normalised concept, at least in the western world, that basic human rights, regardless of background, are to be appreciated and respected (although racism, homophobia, misogyny, etc are still, sadly, rife, in various western social groups), it has become the pursuit of many activists, such as myself, to advocate for the liberties and rights of nonhuman animals.
Unfortunately, as with all social justice movements, as mentioned, this tends to draw much attention and interest, from the most acrimonious and oppressive individuals, who directly benefit most, from the denial of the rights of these sentient beings. I touched upon the social impact of animal rights, and the reaction it tends to draw, at societal level, in my prior sociological article, but in this one, I’d love to focus more on this concept of internet trolling. While we utilise social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, to expand our reach, and spread our activist message, a descent of callous, faceless individuals, hiding behind anonymous accounts, tends to ensue, who wish to stifle our pursuit, and perpetuate the plight of nonhuman animals. Knowledge is power, and I would love to assist my online activism colleagues, on how psychology defines and evaluates these individuals, and perhaps offer a few simple tips, on how to use one’s mental fortitude to rise above said hateful behaviour. In the end, I didn’t pursue a career in psychotherapy, but I do have some experience as an online activist, and the educational savvy in psychology, that I believe I may be of some help.
So to begin with, what exactly is trolling? And then let’s examine what type of personalities and psychopathologies are synonymous with this type of behaviour. Trolling can be defined as posting disruptive content, or likewise, making disruptive comments, on others content, for the purpose of causing emotional distress. Sometimes, this is for the troll’s own amusement as they take pleasure in hurting others. Trolling can occur on any social media platform or in the comments sections on any form of online content. These hateful, insulting, divisive, offensive comments may target someone for their physical appearance, personality, beliefs, or any aspect of their individual being. Trolls may also reveal personal information about someone—known as “doxxing”—without their consent. The anonymity provided by the Internet emboldens trolls to type things they’d likely never dare to say to someone face-to-face. Please do eternally bear this in mind – what these individuals say via anonymous internet accounts, would absolutely never be said, in real life. The internet provides a platform for the most cowardly of people, to take their anger and frustration out, on complete strangers, as a perverse therapeutic methodology, or sadistic game. Internet trolling can take a serious toll on the recipients mental stability. Reading negative comments about yourself can make one feel hopeless, powerless, vulnerable, overwhelmed, humiliated, and worthless. Being the target of trolls has been associated with increases in depression, low self-esteem, sleep disruption, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviour.
In the grand scheme of things, a troll’s goal is to make themselves feel less inferior to their victims. It’s to make victims feel worthless and distressed. Trolls experience a high from destroying another person’s inner light or crushing their spirit. In the context of online activism, their wish is to demonstrate for you that humanity is dark, callous and not worth convincing that animals are deserving of rights. Their belief is that all humans are a paragon of the worst version of humanity, as this is what they are. It’s the simple concept of “projection.”
Their goal is to stifle the flame of your passion for activism, and convince you that humanity is not worth saving, or convincing. Trolls like the easy instant gratification. Additionally, they do not like to be challenged. Moreover, they do not like being confronted about their behavior. In all, it is a form of psychological warfare where the end game is to fully conquer their opponent in every sense of the word. This means that the trolls typically do not feel remorse for their actions or empathy for their victims. Speaking on a personal note, I have personally readily received callous personal messages attacking my character, and received advisement to take my own life, after many online activism streams, I have participated in, advocating for animal rights. But worry not, I don’t plan on modifying my activism endeavours in any way, and this behaviour does not penetrate my mind palace in any way. I will later share some personal strategies I adopt to subvert and disarm these hateful comments.
In terms of the psychopathology of the individuals we are dealing with here, what sort of fractured personality types are associated with dispensing hate, and vitriol, to strangers on the internet, who advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable beings? According to a study about internet trolls by Psychology Today, internet trolling is linked to what is defined as the “Dark Tetrad” of interrelated negative personality traits, which include the following: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism.
Narcissism is the conviction of being unique, exceptionally talented, excessively self-focused, and holding the belief of superiority over others. These types consider themselves special and typically don’t consider other people’s feelings. Narcissists may be charming and highly intelligent, but insecurity is often at the root of their bravado. According to neuroimaging research from 2013, narcissists have lower volumes of gray matter in brain areas involved in empathy. This can be viewed via academic resource, Pubmed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23777939/
Machiavellianism refers to a personality trait that’s characterized by cunning, manipulative behavior and a strategic approach to accomplishing personal goals, usually by exploiting other people through deceit.
Neuroimaging studies have shown that when specific areas of the brain are damaged—from a concussion or traumatic brain injury, for example, the odds of Machiavellian behavior increase. This, likewise, is available via academic resource, Pubmed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29126929/
Psychopathy has long been recognized as a mental disorder characterized by antisocial, impulsive, manipulative, and indifference to the suffering of others. The diagnosis is synonymous with severely lacking empathy, and basic human warmth. I noted this condition saliently in my prior article about the association of animal abuse and cruelty with psychopathy. The term is readily used in everyday society, often hyperbolically, and was popularised by various pop culture films and publications such as “American Psycho” by Bret Easton Ellis. Studies on psychopaths are prolific, and an area of great intrigue within the field of psychology. Here is one example, which examines the condition in detail, on academic resource, Pubmed:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4059069/
Sadism concerns individuals who find enjoyment in the suffering or humiliation felt by others. A sadist, by definition, is someone who derives pleasure from inflicting pain on others or from humiliating people. On top of this, the interaction between high sadism and high self-esteem suggests trolls are not trolling because they have low self-worth. In fact, this is quite the opposite. The more someone enjoys hurting others and the better they feel about themselves, the more likely they are to troll.
Neuroscience shows that sadists enjoy feeling other people’s pain and watching them suffer. A functional brain imaging study in the Archives Of General Psychiatry, shows heightened activation in the frontotemporal region of the brain while sadists observe pain. This is available via academic resource, Pubmed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22393220/
The aforementioned Psychology Today study involved 1,200 participants who were given personality tests. This included a survey concerning the nature of their internet comments. The focus was to look for evidence linking cyber trolling with the Dark Tetrad. The researchers discovered that Dark Tetrad scores were high among participants who claimed that trolling was among choice activities online. Everyone in the study scored low Dark Tetrad scores, except for the cyber trolls. The four traits embodied in the Dark Tetrad were so commonplace among trolls that their scores skyrocketed, which demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt, that the relationship between cyber trolls and the Dark Tetrad is in fact, inseparable. The study is also available via online academic resource, Pubmed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29663396/
New research from Brigham Young University recently published in the journal of Social Media and Society , also sheds light on the motives and personality characteristics of internet trolls. Through an online survey completed by over 400 Reddit users, the study found that individuals with dark triad personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy) combined with “schadenfreude” – a German word meaning that one derives pleasure from another’s misfortune – were more likely to demonstrate trolling behaviors.
“People who exhibit those traits known as the dark triad are more likely to demonstrate trolling behaviors if they derive enjoyment from passively observing others suffer,” said Dr. Pamela Brubaker, BYU public relations professor and co-author of the study. “They engage in trolling at the expense of others.”
The research, which was co-authored by BYU communications professor Dr. Scott Church and former BYU graduate Daniel Montez, found that individuals who experienced pleasure from the failures or shortcomings of others considered trolling to be acceptable online behavior. Women who participated in the survey viewed trolling as dysfunctional while men were more likely to view it as functional (there goes that archaic societal myth that those of the male sex are more rational than those of the female sex).
The researchers say it’s important to note that those who possess schadenfreude often consider trolling to be a form of communication that enriches, rather than impedes online deliberation. Because of this view, they’re not concerned with how their words or actions affect those on the other side of the screen. To them, trolling isn’t perceived as destructive but merely as a means for dialogue to take place. They are more concerned with enhancing their own online experience, and entertainment, and disinterested in the experiences of the users they negatively interact with. The study is a very interesting read, and can be accessed via this online publication resource:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051211021382
There are actually a great deal of psychological studies which would further vindicate this notion as well. I took a great deal of interest in the psychology of dark online behaviours when I was studying the subject at university many years ago. Based upon what I was personally at least able to locate, at the time, there are studies which quantify said behaviours, and align with this assessment, that go back to around the time of the millennium, that assessed behaviour of users of online MSN chat forums from the late 1990’s. However, here is a more recent study, from just this past year. This study also linked psychopathy and sadism to online internet trolling. Participants were recruited via social media advertisements and completed an anonymous online questionnaire. The goal of the study was to assess the personality types of trolls, and particularly, to assess the predominance of gender within said behaviours. Although women engage in other antisocial online behaviour more than men (e.g., intimate partner cyberstalking), men were more likely to perpetrate trolling. Possibly, this is due to their more, ironically, antisocial use of social media, and their belief that trolling itself serves some sort of functional purpose. It also, unsurprisingly concluded, individuals with higher subclinical psychopathy and sadism also perpetrate more trolling, likely due to their lower empathy and a deceitful interpersonal style. Again, an intriguing read, and accessible via this online publication resource:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-023-04586-1
A 2017 study in Personality And Individual Differences found that cyber trolls, likewise, tend to have high levels of psychopathy and sadism, in conjunction with low levels of empathy. Again, it’s been observed across the board that this behaviour is far more prevalent in males than females. Another 2019 study explored the minds of internet trolls and found that narcissism is a common associated trait. A 2021 study focused on the social media platform, Facebook, also confirmed the notion of Dark Tetrad personality factors as indicators of greater prevalence of trolling behaviour. Here are the studies, respectively, for your perusal:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886917304270?via%3Dihub
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886919300017?via%3Dihub
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8199376/
As mentioned, the psychological studies confirming the notion of Dark Tetrad traits and personalities, in internet trolls, are extensive. Many decades of studies have vindicated this denotive fact. Here are a plethora of peer reviewed academic studies and research papers, in confirmation of this :
https://www.ejper.com/dark-triad-personality-and-online-trolling-the-mediating-role-of-empathy
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563217305034
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10004561/
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1211023/full
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2056305120928512
http://shura.shu.ac.uk/12136/1/Cutts
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00332941211055705
https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/15360
https://ojs.revistainteracciones.com/index.php/rin/article/view/178
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886914000324
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/cyber.2019.0652
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563220303010?via%3Dihub
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563216301285?via%3Dihub
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886916307930?via%3Dihub
The personality types associated with trolls is fairly unequivocal, but what actually perpetuates the behaviour itself? There has been much hypothesis on this, and a great deal of it circulates the “online disinhibition effect,” which describes an illusion of both invisibility in conjunction with invincibility. This empowers individuals to say any horrific thing, behind a veil of anonymity, and offers a false sense of security. This can produce a mental illusion of complete impunity and infinite protection, that seems to open a release valve into the darker corners of the human consciousness. This theory has been researched a great deal, and a study can be accessed via online academic resource, Pubmed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15257832/
In terms of the movies of trolls, research has shown that people perceive trolling as more deserved and justified, when they perceive that the target has committed an offence. Fair to say animal rights activists are perceived as some of the most despised people in society, running in direct alignment with how participants in prior social justice movements, all through history, were perceived. Such research can be viewed via this online research project:
It’s fair to say that animal rights is a fairly polarising subject, and that many people view animal rights activists as “troublemakers” who are trying to disrupt the status quo. For those who sit tenuously on the fence about animal rights, trolls can actually disrupt online discourse on the subject, and be a great barrier in changing people’s minds. What we can observe, in terms of academic studies, is, when trolls bring hate and vitriol to the conversation, it can make individuals who may be malleable to positive change in terms of their views on animal justice, actually stick with their original prejudices against animals, and even double down on their views. In a recent study in the US, a team of researchers from George Mason University Centre For Climate Change Communication, in conjunction with other academic institutions, employed a survey of 1,183 Americans to get at the negative vituperative online comments observed on social matters. Participants were asked to read a blog post discussing the risks and benefits of nanotechnology, an already existent multiple billion-dollar industry. The text of the post was identical for all participants but the tone of the comments on it, varied. Some were perfectly civil, but others extremely belligerent, negative and said “if you don’t see the benefits of using nanotechnology in these products, you’re a complete idiot.” The researchers were trying to find out what effect exposure to such rudeness had on public perceptions of nanotech risks. They found that it wasn’t a good one. Rather, it polarized the audience: those who already thought nanorisks were low tended to become more sure of themselves when exposed to name-calling, while those who thought nanorisks are high were more likely to move in their own favored direction. In other words, it appeared that pushing people’s emotional buttons, through derogatory comments, made them double down on their preexisting beliefs.
So how can we use this information, as activists? Unfortunately, the psychological profile of an internet troll means you will not get far appealing to their sense of humanity. And don’t just brush off the troll as someone who has low self-worth. Their character is far more complex, which makes managing the behaviour all the more challenging. Previous research observed across various studies posted, says showing the troll they have upset you, or triggered an emotional response, will only reinforce their behaviour. By diverting attention away from what is being discussed, as soon as you engage or reciprocate with the troll, you’ve fallen for the trap. That is why the popular saying exists, “Don’t feed the trolls.” Research by Dr. Claire Hardaker a linguist who teaches at Lancaster University in the UK – “trolling can be frustrated if users correctly interpret an intent to troll, but are not provoked into responding.” Essentially, Dr Hardaker is saying, identify their behaviour, recognise it, but don’t be compelled to respond. Nothing defuses a troll more than simply ignoring them. For those who wish nothing more than to make you feel insignificant, the greatest retort of all is turning the tables on them and showing them just how insignificant they are.
Here are some of my own personal tips, that help me deal with the hate. Well, to begin with, you always have to remain confident. I am well aware I come off as being arrogant on livestream debates, and to be honest, I use this as a defence mechanism to make me feel like I have infinite durability. I would advise adopting this approach with caution, as perhaps I take it a little to the extreme, but self confidence can be a fanatic shield against vitriol. Let me tell you this – purely from own observational experience on the internet, I have observed the most beautiful people, I have ever seen, being regarded by trolls as “fat, too skinny, ugly, mid, average,” etc. Likewise, I have seen comments against the most intelligent people you will ever see, on the internet, by those trolls who disagreed with their message, such as “he/she is an idiot, they’re a moron, they’re so smooth-brained,” etc. Similarly, I have seen the most talented actors, musicians and athletes, branded “overrated, not actually that good, untalented, rubbish,” etc by faceless trolls. So rest assured – and please – if you take anything away from this article – nothing that a troll says about you on the internet means a single thing. There will likely be zero veracity to any comments about your appearance or positive character attributes. And believe me – I have heard them all. Many of them are actually comically paradoxical. For a time my profile photograph on TikTok has been a snapshot of me in the best physical shape of my life, from sometime ago, where I was often celebrated by attendees of my local gym, and questioned about my diet and workout approach. However, how this translates with internet trolls, I am often either called “anorexic” or people say I am “on steroids” – what hilariously contradictory concepts. This is a paragon of how absurd the negative comments you will receive, are.
Say it with me again – nothing anyone says about you on the internet holds any weight in reality, nor does it mean a single thing. The most superhuman of people receive all the same negativity that you will. And I want you to also remember one imperative notion – it. is. not. personal. But how could such vile words and behaviours against me not be personal? Insults on my very being are the most personal of all. Well, the thing is, in the context of animal rights activism, they don’t actually hate you, they just hate your message, they hate what you are fighting for. Meat consumption, one must remember, is something which many people associate with traditions, past memories, its ingrained into the fibre of their very being, and the tapestry of their communities. So you essentially serve as the adult who has come to take away their favourite toy, or favourite pastime. Change is also very uneasy for many people, even the prospect of positive change, so many will fight as hard as possible to derail your efforts, purely to maintain the societal status quo. So when advocating for the voiceless online, the reality is, trolls don’t actually care about your personhood, they care about your message, your activism endeavours. Always remember – it is not personal.
If you are on social media, and you observe trolls commenting the most vile things on vegan social media accounts, as you always will, likewise, do not even bother replying. We all became vegan because of something we saw, and nobody has ever become a vegan from a reply to a comment in a comment section. What this means is, you will not be able to change these individuals minds. You will not be able to convince them veganism is a moral imperative. What you’ll find is, these people are making deeply sadistic, nauseating comments for one of two reasons. Reason number one, they are just your average troll – writing something with the intention of eliciting a triggered response from you. These are the sort of types who care the least about animals, and the least about humans. These are the types described in the former segment of this article. Nothing you say will hold any weight with these individuals, and they will be actively intransigent on the issue, regardless of infinite amounts of data you can present them with. Reason number two, you will find, are people who subscribe to the belief they care about animals, or that generally they are decent people, and are enraged by your presence, as someone actively trying to conduct yourself in an unselfish manner, in life. Your existence will shatter their self-beliefs and so you become a threat. Their goal is to prove that nobody could possibly be that good, in life, and if they manage to elicit a rage response in you, their beliefs, in that regard, will be vindicated. Ultimately, these people have the potential to become better, and at some point can be pliable to change. But they are not yet ready. They need to see a documentary like “Dominion,” or something in regards to the industry that appeals to their humanity, to a greater degree. Again, nothing you wrote as a response, will change their outlook at this point. If you see a comment in the comment section of a social media platform, where someone says something earnestly, about veganism, that is untrue, do feel free to correct them. But your intuition on people’s motives, is your best guide, and those who write appalling, callous things in support of animal abuse, are left ignored. If you do this, believe me, when they don’t get the attention they are seeking, they will get bored and move on. You’ll be doing a greater service for veganism, circumspectly, be rising above, and ignoring.
I want you to remember one thing about trolls. Of course, the psychopathologies associated with these individuals, tells us we are not dealing with rational, nor mentally-healthy individuals. So interacting with them at all is not in your best interest. Those attracted to veganism tend to be the most empathetic and altruistic, and there are studies to confirm this (more for my next article, perhaps). So what this means is, we tend to be sponges for the emotions of others, and interacting with these trolls is not just unproductive, but it will have grave consequences for your mental health. There is nothing to be gained from this, but much to be lost. My personal belief on trolls circulates a reference from an old Christopher Nolan film, where the villain attempts a sadistic game where he forces two groups of people to seal the tragic fate of the opposite group, to save their own skin. However, this social experiment fails, and neither group will condemn the other to death. Upon this, the protagonist says to the villain, “what were you trying to prove, that deep down everyone is just as ugly as you?”
And this is what I believe internet trolls are attempting to accomplish. Don’t be goaded into this twisted game. Be better than them. You are better than them. Ignore. Rise above.
In the context of posting content on social media, if you find yourself at the mercy of these psychologically-nauseated individuals, just remember – you are doing the right thing. Your cause is a righteous one, and it is for justice. Always remember the message, ignore the external noise. Take comfort in the fact you care about things in this life that truly matter. Take pride in this. You know who you are, and never forget this simple fact. These trolls don’t actually know a single thing about you, and only you can allow them to harm you. Don’t let them. One more time – everybody receives hate, and the kindest people of all are the ones who are the recipients of malice, most regularly. If people advise you to harm yourself, or say horrible things about you, delete it, forget it, and go back to doing the things in life that give you both purpose, and joy. Fixating on these things will only destroy you, and only you can let them in. To reiterate what your parents told you when you had adolescent conflicts at school – be the bigger person. None of us are perfect in life, but what matters is, we do the right thing, and we do what we have to do. I really do hope some of this was helpful, it’s certainly been the methodology that’s assisted me in my social justice pursuits, and renders internet trolls, completely powerless, in my life. One final thing to always remember, we also have each other. You don’t have to fight this fight alone, you have friends, you have a community, you have people who care about you, and you certainly have me. If for any reason, your activism becomes a burden on your mental health, please come and speak to me, or any of the other vegans in the community, we care a great deal. And always take breaks, the internet is a realm of much darkness, and inevitably wears everyone down, swiftly or steadily. Not only is there nothing wrong with taking activism breaks, but I actively encourage you to do so. None of us have infinite fortitude, and we must also take the time to enjoy other aspects of our lives also. I’ve only been both a vegan, and an activist for a short time, myself, so please know, being part of this compassionate justice movement, you are a hero in my eyes.