Trolling in social media: a deindividuation and contagion perspective

Abstract

Trolling on social media has a profound impact on its victims, yet existing literature offers a limited understanding of the factors driving this behavior. This study applies deindividuation and contagion theories to explore the phenomenon, surveying 337 Facebook users and 275 Instagram users and analyzing the data using SEM-PLS and fsQCA methods. The SEM results indicate that digital anonymity and dispersed collectivity both directly and indirectly impact trolling behavior, mediated by a loss of self-consciousness and a diffused sense of responsibility. The fsQCA analysis reveals four distinct equifinal configurations that predict trolling behavior, one for each platform, providing new insights into the research on trolling. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of trolling and offers practical implications for addressing this issue.