Do bored people engage in online trolling more actively? Exploring the role of dark personalities and boredom proneness Seo Yoon Lee Personality and Individual Differences, 2025 Abstract This study investigates individual traits that explain the likelihood of engaging in online trolling. It examines the association between dark personality traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism) and trolling intentions, and incorporates boredom proneness to further elucidate trolling behaviors. Utilizing data collected via Prolific (n = 414), the findings from hierarchical regression analyses revealed significant positive associations of psychopathy, sadism, and boredom proneness with online trolling tendencies. Machiavellianism alone did not significantly predict trolling behavior; however, its interaction with boredom proneness was significant, indicating that individuals high in Machiavellianism who are also prone to boredom are more likely to engage in online trolling. A similar pattern emerged for those high in psychopathy and sadism; those also experiencing high levels of boredom demonstrated a greater propensity for active trolling engagement. This study highlights the complex interplay between personality traits and the tendency to engage in disruptive online behaviors, online trolling. https://lnkd.in/e9dB8HNT
