Dark tetrad of personality, cyberbullying, and cybertrolling among young adults

Abstract

Communication applications and social media sites serve as a platform for users to distribute information and connect to other users, potentially allowing perpetrators to perform antisocial behaviors. The current study examined the relationship between Dark Tetrad of personality (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, sadism) and antisocial cyber-behaviors (i.e., cyberbullying, cybertrolling) by surveying young Malaysians (n = 323) aged from 18 to 26. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed that Machiavellianism was not related to cyberbullying and cybertrolling, while narcissism was positively related to cyberbullying but not related to cybertrolling. Meanwhile, psychopathy and sadism were positively related to cyberbullying and cybertrolling. The results of this study contribute to the cyber-behaviors literature, knowledge about the antisocial cyber-behaviors in Malaysia, supports sadism as a dark personality and the study acts as a reference to minimize these behaviors.

Motivations for Proactive and Reactive Trolling on Social Media: Developing and Validating a Four-Factor Model

“…For instance, Buckels et al (2014) investigated how the Dark Tetrad of personality traits (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism) influences people’s trolling behaviors and found that psychopathy and sadism positively predicted trolling behaviors; this suggests that trolling is a common strategy to seek pleasure by hurting others and watching them. Other studies have also supported the association between Dark Tetrad personality and trolling (Alavi et al, 2022) and further discovered that other personal factors, such as negative social potency (Craker & March, 2016) and cognitive empathy (March, 2019), are positively related to online trolling.…”

“…To better understand online trolling and develop effective intervention strategies, scholars have explored the motivations that drive individuals to engage in trolling behaviors. Previous studies have mainly focused on personality-driven factors, such as deriving pleasure from hurting others (e.g., sadism), as the primary motivation for trolling (Alavi et al, 2022;Buckels et al, 2014). However, recent evidence suggests that trolling behaviors can also be driven by diverse social-psychological motivations (e.g., revenge and ideology) beyond personal enjoyment (Cook et al, 2018;Fichman & Sanfilippo, 2016), indicating the need to further investigate the complexity of trolling motivations.…”

Digital Dilemma of Cyberbullying Victimization among High School Students: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Associations with Stress and Mental Well-Being

“…The mediation analysis provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and general psychological health. The results emphasize the importance of addressing cyberbullying not only as an isolated issue but also as a factor that can contribute to increased stress levels and psychological problems among adolescents [ 126 , 127 ]. This finding underscores the need for interventions that target both cyberbullying and its associated psychological consequences, with a specific focus on stress management and coping strategies.…”

Psychopathy and Cyberbullying: The Role of Self-Control as Moderator Among Problematic Smartphone Users

“…PSY individuals tend to engage in persistent antisocial behavior that may lead to criminal activity (Anderson & Kiehi, 2017). Several studies have found the positive relationship between PSY personality traits and CB, as individuals with these traits may exhibit impulsivity, the desire for power and control over others, and a lack of empathy, all of which can make it easier for them to engage in aggressive and hurtful behavior online (Pabian et al, 2015;Orue & Calvete, 2016;Charalampous et al, 2021;Alavi et al, 2022). Additionally, anonymity and distance technology allows individuals with PSY traits to engage in CB without feeling the immediate consequences of their actions.…”

“…In the context of cyberbullying (CB), studies have shown that the low levels of SC are associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in CB, while higher levels of SC can reduce or eliminate the behavior. Recent research suggested that young individuals who use smartphones problematically tend to exhibit high levels of PSY traits and engage in various forms of bullying, including physical, verbal, and CB (Pabian, Backer & Vandebosch, 2015;Orue & Calvete, 2016;Charalampous, Ioannou, Georgiou & Stavrinides, 2021;Alavi, Latif, Ramayah & Tan, 2022). Though very few authentic research, such as study led by Shaikh, Rehman, Amin, Shamim and Hashmani (2021), has investigated relationship between PSY and CB among problematic smartphone users in Pakistan, research on topic remains limited in Pakistan.…”