Why is trolling so fun?

Trolls exhibit psychopath traits.
On the other hand, thrill-seeking and acting on impulse are associated with psychopathy. That may explain why psychopaths find trolling so enjoyable. It could be that "creating mayhem online is a central motivator to troll," the researchers write.
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Why do I enjoy trolling?

Basically, trolling behavior can feel rewarding in two ways: the pleasure experienced from getting a rise out of a target (positive reinforcement) and in some cases, the pleasure experienced by avoiding or distracting from aspects of life that are uncomfortable (negative reinforcement).
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What is the point of trolling?

What is trolling? In scientific literature, internet trolling is defined as a malicious online behaviour, characterised by aggressive and deliberate provocation of others. “Trolls” seek to provoke, upset and harm others via inflammatory messages and posts.
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Is trolling sadistic?

Results: Across both studies, online trolling was strongly associated with a sadistic personality profile. Moreover, sadism and trolling predicted identical patterns of pleasure and harm minimization.
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Is trolling a form of abuse?

Concern over internet vitriol is growing, but supporters of trolling argue it's about mischief and freedom of speech. But for many, the ferocity and personal nature of the abuse verges on hate speech. In its most extreme form, it is a criminal offence.
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The Psychology of Trolling



How do I stop trolling?

Defeat Internet Trolls with These 10 Techniques
  1. Don't Feed the Trolls. The classic internet adage still holds merit. ...
  2. Add Moderators to Your Roster. ...
  3. If You Can't Ignore the Trolls, Call Their B.S. ...
  4. Kill Them with Kindness. ...
  5. Disarm Them with Humor. ...
  6. Block, Ban, or Report Trolls. ...
  7. Decompress Before You Reply. ...
  8. Stay Professional.
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Is it rude to call someone a troll?

Trolls are motivated by a desire for attention by people and can't or won't acquire it in a productive manner. Someone may be insufferable, infuriating, fanatical, and an ignorant idiot to boot without being a troll. Also note that a troll isn't necessarily insulting, snide, or even impolite.
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Are online trolls narcissists?

'Research suggests that trolls possess dark personality traits, including psychopathy, narcissism, sadism, and Machiavellianism.
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How do you respond to a troll?

Here are four ways you can respond to comment trolls:
  1. Ignore Them.
  2. Acknowledge the Commenter's Misunderstanding.
  3. Engage in Thoughtful Debate.
  4. Admit When You're Wrong.
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Is trolling a personality trait?

It is hardly surprising, then, that trolling is considered by many a type of anti-social behaviour and is strongly associated with sadistic personality disorder. People who like trolling others online have also been found to enjoy hurting others in real life — a classic sign of a sadist (Buckels et al., 2019).
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Are trolls sociopaths?

New research shows trolls have psychopath, sadist, and cognitive empathy traits.
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What are trolls afraid of?

Trolls were also said to be afraid of thunder, which had strong connections to the Norse god Thor, who made a great habit of slaying giants, trolls and other malicious creatures during his rule in Norse mythology.
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Why is it difficult to ignore a troll?

Because sometimes fighting a troll sends a message to everyone else. Sometimes it sets a standard of what is and isn't acceptable behavior. Sometimes it speaks the truth when the troll has been speaking untruth. Sometimes it gives others language for what they know but can't express to be true.
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Is it illegal to troll on the internet?

Criminal laws.

Trolling is not a crime under federal law. But under the laws of many states, harassment, stalking, and bullying are illegal. For more information, see Cyberbullying Laws by State.
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How can you tell a paid troll?

How to Identify a Troll
  1. They use anonymous or throwaway accounts.
  2. Their account might be new.
  3. They leave hateful or negative comments.
  4. They make outrageous or questionable claims.
  5. They won't let a topic go.
  6. They constantly post.
  7. They use bad spelling or grammar.
  8. Ignore the troll.
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How do you tell if someone is trolling you?

5 signs you're dealing with a troll
  1. They'll try to make you angry. Trolls exist for the sole purpose of upsetting people. ...
  2. They act entitled. Many trolls have an inflated sense of worth. ...
  3. They exaggerate. A lot. ...
  4. They make it personal. ...
  5. They often can't spell.
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Do I feed the troll?

Phrase. (Internet slang) Said to urge another not to respond to disruptive attention-seeking behavior, particularly in online contexts, by pointing out any such response is likely to be counterproductive.
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Are trolls real?

Are Trolls Real? Trolls are real in the same way Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster are real. They're mythical creatures that are thought to have been around for centuries, but there's no physical evidence to prove that they ever actually existed. It's up to you to decide whether they exist or not.
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How do you troll in IRL?

So, here are some ways to troll people without them feeling attacked.
  1. Sports. This is the most acceptable way to troll. ...
  2. Friends. It's a great way to show your love for your friends when you troll them in real life. ...
  3. The public. ...
  4. Family.
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What are the characteristics of a troll?

Trolls are characterised by the 'Dark Tetrad' of personality traits, including psychopathy, Machiavellianism, Narcissism and sadism. In internet parlance, a troll is generally defined as a person who posts abusive, insulting, inflammatory, extraneous, off-topic or digressive messages in an online community.
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What does sadistic personality mean?

Someone who gets pleasure from hurting or humiliating others is a sadist. Sadists feel other people's pain more than is normal. And they enjoy it.
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Who is the psychopath?

The term "psychopath" is used to describe someone who is callous, unemotional, and morally depraved. While the term isn't an official mental health diagnosis, it is often used in clinical and legal settings.
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What does trolling a girl mean?

the act of leaving an insulting message on the internet in order to annoy someone: They proposed a new law on internet trolling.
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Where did trolling come from?

It seems to be widely agreed that the practice of trolling, in its older internet sense, began in the late 1980s or early 90s in the MUDs (multi-user dungeons) or Usenet discussion groups.
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