Recently, I read in a gaming magazine about this thing called "Deindividuation". It's pretty much the term for when a persons personality changes online due to the anonymity of the internet, or any other situation where your face/identity is hidden from plain sight. The article even cited a line from "Lord of the Flies", where Ralph's last shred of dignity and civility keeps him from killing a pig, until he gets the idea to wear a mask. After equipping the +3 mask o' Porkslaughter, Ralph basically loses it and kills the pig with no problems.
In most cases, people use their lack of identity on the internet to screw with other people ((Trolls)), but according to studies, the role one dawns and the people surrounding them influence their behaviors. Let's use WoW as an example.
If I were to make an account and have my charrie be something like a healer, then according to the studies, I would be more inclined to be friendly and helpful to those around me. Then, if I joined a clan, I might become a troll depending on the behaviors of my fellow clanmates.
I thought about this stuff for a while, and then I saw the studies reflected in my own life. I come on the forums here, and I rarely encounter any trolls. While one of my friends found 4C and the /b/ forums instead. I tried showing him this website ((Because he's an avid gamer)), but he said he couldn't stay on for too long because of "a strong urge to troll the religious debate threads".
So remember folks, behave yourselves around new people, or else they might transform into a hideous troll.
In most cases, people use their lack of identity on the internet to screw with other people ((Trolls)), but according to studies, the role one dawns and the people surrounding them influence their behaviors. Let's use WoW as an example.
If I were to make an account and have my charrie be something like a healer, then according to the studies, I would be more inclined to be friendly and helpful to those around me. Then, if I joined a clan, I might become a troll depending on the behaviors of my fellow clanmates.
I thought about this stuff for a while, and then I saw the studies reflected in my own life. I come on the forums here, and I rarely encounter any trolls. While one of my friends found 4C and the /b/ forums instead. I tried showing him this website ((Because he's an avid gamer)), but he said he couldn't stay on for too long because of "a strong urge to troll the religious debate threads".
So remember folks, behave yourselves around new people, or else they might transform into a hideous troll.
