Impulsivity, internalizing symptoms, and online group behavior as determinants of online hate.

Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101285081 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19326203 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS One Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science

Hate* ; Impulsive Behavior* ; Social Behavior* ; Social Media*; Anxiety/*psychology ; Depression/*psychology; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Finland ; Humans ; Male ; Social Identification ; Stereotyping ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Online hate is widely identified as a social problem, but its social psychological dimensions are yet to be explored. We used an integrative social psychological framework for analyzing online hate offending and found that both personal risk factors and online group behavior were associated with online hate offending. Study 1, based on socio-demographically balanced survey data (N = 1200) collected from Finnish adolescents and young adults, found that impulsivity and internalizing symptoms were positively associated with online hate offending. Furthermore, social homophily was positively associated with online hate offending but only among those with average or high level of internalizing symptoms. Social identification with online communities was not associated with hate offending. In Study 2, based on a vignette experiment (N = 160), online hate offenders were more likely than others to rely on in-group stereotypes (i.e. self-stereotype) in anonymous online interaction and, as a consequence, follow perceived group norms. These associations were found only when a shared group identity was primed. We conclude that both personal risk factors and group behavior are related to online hate but they have different implications for reducing hateful communication in social media.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Date Created: 20200423 Date Completed: 20200709 Latest Revision: 20200709

20240105

PMC7176079

10.1371/journal.pone.0231052

32320402