Online Cruelty

After our discussion on flaming, cyber bullying, and inappropriate online communications, I went online to see what “google” had to say about the matter. I found and article titled, “Students Scorched by Online Flaming.” In this article the intensity of flaming, referred to as Online Disinhibition Effect, was portrayed through students who have been victims and even one who confesses to being the bully. In addition, this article discusses why this occurs, and some studies that were done to support their theory.
Similar to what we discussed in class, the origin of this online misbehavior is said to be that people are less worried about the consequences for their actions. In other words, not having to see the victim’s reaction makes them more comfortable saying things that they ordinarily would not say to their face. A study was done which supports the theory that people are more apt to cruelty if they are unable to see the person that they are inflicting it on. People involved in the study were told that the correlation of pain and memory was being tested. The “teachers” in the study were asked to shock their “student.” Teachers who were not able to see their student were more likely to continue with the experiment, and shock at higher voltages than those who were able to see their student. Some teachers even went to volts of 450 because they were not able to actually see that consequences of their actions. This can be related back to flaming because in both cases people are more likely to be cruel if they cannot see the target of the cruelty.
It interests me that people are capable of such behavior simply because they cannot see the expression on the victims’ face. I am guilty of sometimes hiding behind my computer to send messages, or ask questions that I may be less comfortable with in person, but I am able to realize that I am held responsible for my actions even when those actions are online. I am surprised that so many people do not share this sense responsibility when it comes to the internet.