Written by Edge of Humanity Magazine Staff
With the advancement of the internet, online harassment has become a prevalent issue. In a study of 51 countries, it was seen that 38% of women had personally experienced online harassment. Men go through it as well.
If you think back, you might have been a victim too. Perhaps a troll left a nasty comment on your Instagram post or a TikTok user crossed the line trying to be overly familiar. While most of us try to brush it off as something normal, we tend to forget that it’s actually harassment. After all, would you remain silent if someone exhibited the same behavior towards you in person on the street?
But what drives this seemingly cruel behavior? Psychology offers insights into the motivations behind individuals who hide behind the screens.
Studies have shown that one of the most common reasons why perpetrators feel powerful online is because of the anonymity it offers.
When your identity is hidden, the fear of consequences takes a back seat. In fact, there is a name for this phenomenon, and it’s the online disinhibition effect.
So, when one is without the fear of physical repercussions or social judgment, inhibitions loosen. And carrying on with hostile behavior in the digital space becomes easier.
But there’s more. Online harassment is connected to de-individualization. On the internet, people tend to lose their individuality and become one with the crowd. You see it every day. For instance, let’s say, a news snippet is uploaded on Facebook and most don’t agree with the post. When you look at the comment sections, there are usually some downright rude comments. The same individuals maintain a polite aura in their day-to-day offline lives.
The absence of face-to-face interaction makes it easier to do as you please online as it curbs any empathy one may have. Without any visual cues and direct emotional responses, harassers may struggle to recognize the impact of their actions on their victims.
But online harassment is also fueled by a desire for power and control.
Cyberbullies don’t simply target anyone and everyone but only someone they perceive as weak or different. We see it on the news almost every day. Recently a queer child killed themselves because of severe online trolling.
But bullies don’t feel high and mighty in real life. In a study, it was seen that adolescents who bully usually have very low self-esteem in general. And, harassment fetches them a sense of power they crave.
When we speak about online harassment, one of the reasons can also be social contagion. As you witness or participate in such behavior regularly, it becomes a common occurrence.
Let’s say, if you encounter someone trolling you today, what will you do? You are most likely to simply dismiss it instead of going through the hassles of filing a complaint.
But that doesn’t mean it’s okay.
The mental state of the perpetrators also comes into play here. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, there are some common factors that turn people into online bullies. Some of them include displaced aggression, narcissism, attention-seeking behavior, an opportunity to seek thrill, etc.
In very unfortunate cases, individuals who have been victims of severe bullying or harassment themselves may engage in similar behavior as a misguided attempt to regain control or cope with their own experiences.
Are you trying to dilute your negative online presence?
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