Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why Trolls Start Flame Wars: Swearing and Name-Calling Shut Down the Ability to Think and Focus
Zero Hedge ^ | 02/25/2014 | George Washington

Posted on 02/25/2014 11:33:55 PM PST by tired&retired

Psychological studies show that swearing and name-calling in Internet discussions shut down our ability to think.

2 professors of science communication at the University of Wisconsin, Madison - Dominique Brossard and Dietram A. Scheufele - wrote in the New York Times last year:

In a study published online last month in The Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, we and three colleagues report on an experiment designed to measure what one might call “the nasty effect.”

The results were both surprising and disturbing. Uncivil comments not only polarized readers, but they often changed a participant’s interpretation of the news story itself.

In the civil group, those who initially did or did not support the technology — whom we identified with preliminary survey questions — continued to feel the same way after reading the comments. Those exposed to rude comments, however, ended up with a much more polarized understanding of the risks connected with the technology.

Simply including an ad hominem attack in a reader comment was enough to make study participants think the downside of the reported technology was greater than they’d previously thought.

While it’s hard to quantify the distortional effects of such online nastiness, it’s bound to be quite substantial, particularly — and perhaps ironically — in the area of science news

(Excerpt) Read more at zerohedge.com ...


TOPICS: Religion; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: dncstrategy; flame; lenr; seagullthread; troll; trolling101
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-89 next last
So why do people troll in a rude way?

Psychologists say that many of them are psychopaths, sadists and narcissists getting their jollies. It's easy to underestimate how many of these types of sickos are out there: There are millions of sociopaths in the U.S. alone.

But intelligence agencies are also intentionally disrupting political discussion on the web, and ad hominen attacks, name-calling and divide-and-conquer tactics are all well-known, frequently-used disruption techniques.

Now you know why ... flame wars polarize thinking, and stop the ability to focus on the actual topic and facts under discussion.

Indeed, this tactic is so effective that the same wiseguy may play both sides of the fight.

Postscript: Fortunately, it's not that difficult to isolate the trolls and stop their disruption ... if we just point out what they're doing.

1 posted on 02/25/2014 11:33:55 PM PST by tired&retired
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

I thought this article was a very good one to post here at Free Republic.


2 posted on 02/25/2014 11:34:38 PM PST by tired&retired
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

Greenwald: How Covert Agents Infiltrate the Internet to Manipulate, Deceive and Destroy Reputations
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3126612/posts


3 posted on 02/25/2014 11:35:27 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

The internet does make people say things they wouldn’t say in person. Not everyone and I believe liberals get nasty more than conservatives. I’ve stopped talking to lots of former friends and relatives because they said things to me on the internet they would never have said to my face.


4 posted on 02/25/2014 11:55:02 PM PST by VerySadAmerican (".....Barrack, and the horse Mohammed rode in on.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VerySadAmerican

Scroll through the comments of pretty much any YouTube video and you will find a plethora of not only vile commentary but a lot of atheistic tripe and Jew conspiracy claptrap.


5 posted on 02/25/2014 11:59:50 PM PST by JPX2011
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired
..and the award for the most memorable use of this diversionary tactic goes TO...:

HILLARY CLINTON DURING THE BENGHAZI HEARINGS!

(Hey Hillary, your tactic worked.. NO ONE CHALLENGED YOU AFTER SAYING THIS)

6 posted on 02/26/2014 12:00:03 AM PST by Obama_Is_A_Feminist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

All this comes with the territory or the job. Ignore the idiots or answer them in such a way as to destroy any credibility they seek. Not hard to do once you understand who they are and what they are attempting to do.


7 posted on 02/26/2014 12:23:01 AM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

Bull$hit!


8 posted on 02/26/2014 12:29:33 AM PST by Raycpa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

Well, this certainly lines up with what I’ve been experiencing on LENR threads.


9 posted on 02/26/2014 12:39:26 AM PST by Kevmo ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Horton Hears a Who)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Raycpa

Ray.... from one CPA to another, at this time of the year, especially at this hour, I can relate to your comment!


10 posted on 02/26/2014 12:40:36 AM PST by tired&retired
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

WOW, Thanks 2ndDivisionVet. That is one amazing link. It should be linked in the sidebar permanently.


11 posted on 02/26/2014 12:55:29 AM PST by tired&retired
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

>> Bull$hit!

>> I can relate to your comment!

Contradicting the article?

Anyway, the conclusions of the study are questionable. And I think it’s interesting that opinion affecting the credibility of the news story is essentially deemed as hostile to discourse and understanding.

#ing libs ;)


12 posted on 02/26/2014 1:04:58 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

This one, too, I think:

What Good Can a Handgun Do Against An Army?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/2312894/posts


13 posted on 02/26/2014 1:07:59 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper; 2ndDivisionVet

“Ignore the idiots”
______________________________________________
Yes, there is a small group of juveniles on FR that hate my guts because I am a happy expat. I ignore them.
Some day, maybe they will find a life of their own.


14 posted on 02/26/2014 1:10:39 AM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Gene Eric

Gene,

By your last two posts you would fit the description in the article. Here is one of your posts just made on another link:

Romney: Veto Ariz. bill
2/26/2014 4:28:12 AM · 83 of 83
Gene Eric
Not your state, a-hole.


15 posted on 02/26/2014 1:41:27 AM PST by tired&retired
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

So berating Romney for interfering in the affairs of AZ basically relegates my credibility to that of a sociopath?


16 posted on 02/26/2014 1:55:09 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Gene Eric

You attacked the messenger by calling him/her a name rather than stating your valid argument.


17 posted on 02/26/2014 2:29:46 AM PST by tired&retired
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired
I agree that swearing and name calling shut down the ability to think and focus

Look no further than democraticundeground.com for all the proof one needs!

18 posted on 02/26/2014 2:30:27 AM PST by saywhatagain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

What messenger did I attack? Context please.


19 posted on 02/26/2014 2:30:36 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Gene Eric

Per your own post this morning immediately after you posted on this link.

“Not your state, a-hole.”

83 posted on 2/26/2014 4:28:12 AM by Gene Eric (Don’t be a statist!)”


20 posted on 02/26/2014 2:34:34 AM PST by tired&retired
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-89 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson