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Results suggests trolls aren't seeking praise or wanting to manipulate; other studies indicate they may breed more. While it's important to preface what is to follow with a reminder that correlation doth not causation make, a new study [Pay Walled, Abstract Available] has found seemingly clear ties between internet trolling and a person's likelihood of being predisposed to the "Dark Triad." [Pay Walled, Abstract Available] But more interestingly it finds that only one particular negative personality trait is stroked by trollish behavior and its findings suggest trolls may be breeding.
The paper's critical finding was that the Dark Triad of personality traits were often correlated, or in other words someone who was narcissistic would be more likely to be psychopathic, and so on, statistically speaking.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/02/12/online-trolls-are-just-everyday-sadists-according-to-new-paper/
http://www.dailytech.com/Study+Internet+Trolls+are+the+Prototypical+Everyday+Sadists/article36091.htm
(Score: 3, Interesting) by aristarchus on Sunday June 22 2014, @07:50PM
Now here is the real problem. I believe it is related to the "political correctness is censorship" fallacy. Not everyone I disagree with is a troll, but I do disagree with all trolls. So if I disagree with a poster, it may in fact be more likely that they are a troll than not!!! But certainly the worst thing to do would be to exclude everyone that disagrees with me from being trolls, which would mean that I myself would be a troll, and a sycophantic one at that.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Sunday June 22 2014, @08:10PM
Real people can discuss their points in a analytic manner. As for the trolls, they are a evolutionary mistake that shall be marginalized to minimize their impact.