Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 12, 2026

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Online Gamers
Published on: November 9, 2019
Relationship Between Online Trolling and Dark Tetrad Personality Traits: A Meta-Analysis
Sergio Hidalgo-Fuentes1, Elisa González-Pérez2, Isabel Martínez-Álvarez2
1Universidad de Valencia (Spain).
Individuals with Dark Tetrad personality traits, including narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism, exhibit a greater tendency for online trolling. This systematic review confirms a positive association between these traits and disruptive online behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cyberpsychology
- Social Media Studies
Background:
- Online trolling is disruptive digital behavior intended to provoke arguments.
- The Dark Tetrad personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, sadism) are linked to antisocial online actions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the relationship between Dark Tetrad personality traits and online trolling.
- To quantify the association between narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, sadism and trolling behavior.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, Web of Science.
- Inclusion of 24 articles from 11 countries with 14,044 participants.
- Four random-effects meta-analyses using Pearson's r coefficients.
Main Results:
- A significant positive association was found between all four Dark Tetrad traits and online trolling.
- Meta-regression indicated that assessment instruments moderated some associations.
- No evidence of publication bias was detected.
Conclusions:
- The Dark Tetrad personality traits positively predict engagement in online trolling.
- These findings help explain individual differences in trolling behavior.
- Understanding this link is crucial for addressing online harassment.
More Related Videos
06:42Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
05:03Author Spotlight: Unveiling Mechanisms of Stress Resilience - Significant Findings, Advancements, and Future Research
Published on: December 15, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Dark Triad and Person Perception
Personality Theory by Eysenck and Eysenck
In the extroversion/introversion dimension, highly extroverted people are sociable, outgoing, and easily connect with others. In contrast,...
Factors Influencing Attraction VI: Personality Traits
Cattell's 16 Personality Factors
In contrast, source traits are the...
Implicit Personality Theories
Five-Factor Theory of Personality
Openness reflects creativity, curiosity, and openness to new experiences. Individuals scoring high in openness are imaginative, have a wide range of interests, and are independent...