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Do Dark Humour Users Have Dark Tendencies? Relationships between Dark Humour, the Dark Tetrad, and Online Trolling

Authors :
Sophie Voisey
Sonja Heintz
Source :
Behavioral Sciences, Vol 14, Iss 6, p 493 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

Humour and antisocial behaviour on the internet are under-researched. Online spaces have opened a gateway for new ways to express unrestrained humour (e.g., dark humour) and ways to behave antisocially (e.g., online trolling). The tendencies and motivations of those engaging with such humour and behaviour are yet to be clearly established and understood. The present study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the interplay between dark humour, online trolling, and dark personality traits. Participants (N = 160) completed an online survey consisting of trait scales to assess the Dark Tetrad, dark humour, and online trolling, as well as two online trolling tasks (enjoyment and ability) and two dark humour meme tasks (enjoyment and ability). The results confirmed relationships between the Dark Tetrad and the dark humour trait, and several Dark Tetrad traits were related to the enjoyment of and ability to produce dark humour. Furthermore, dark humour and online trolling were closely related. The findings also revealed that online trolls did not enjoy being trolled but did enjoy trolling, and this ability to troll is underpinned by sadism. These findings illustrate the potential dark psychological motivations for using dark humour, demonstrate that online trolling is infused with darker forms of humour, and provide deeper insights into online trolls.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14060493 and 2076328X
Volume :
14
Issue :
6
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Behavioral Sciences
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.6e663d5866c436fb3cecb4d4ee9fbea
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060493