Mad Science - The Disinhibition effect

Bad Science Forums

It is worth contemplating the nature of people who spend hours on the internet debating rubbish. I for one am bad at social networking. I hate Facebook, I loath wasting my time debating crap and I would rather do something constructive. I find that the psychological influence of forums is detrimental to anyone.

I mentioned that the Bad Science Forums where becoming psychologically dysfunctional. Cyberpsychology has always been one of my pet interests. The world is becoming surreal where everyone appears to live in cyberspace. Due to group dynamics, some forums become quite advanced at their networking. They appear almost predatory. Cyberstalking is also fascinating. A friend of mine Paul Bocij writes some excellent papers. They are worth reading in detail. Here is one.

Here are the rest of his papers.

Bocij P., (2005) Reactive Stalking: A New Perspective on Victimisation. British Journal of Forensic Practice. 8(2), pp. 23-34.

Bocij P., (2004) Camgirls, Blogs and Wish Lists: How Young People are Courting Danger on the Internet. Community Safety Journal. 3(3), pp. 16-22.

Bocij P., Bocij H. & McFarlane L., (2003) Cyberstalking: A Case Study Concerning Serial Harassment in the UK. British Journal of Forensic Practice. 5(2), pp. 25-32.

Bocij P. and McFarlane L., (2003. 10.) Cyberstalking: A Matter for Community Safety but the Numbers do not Add Up. Journal of Community Safety. 2(2), pp. 26-34.

Bocij P. and McFarlane L., (2003) Cyberstalking: The Technology of Hate. Policy Journal. 76(3), pp. 204-21.

Bocij P. and McFarlane L., (2003) The Internet: A Discussion of Some New and Emerging Threats to Young People. The Police Journal. 76(1), pp. 3-13.

Bocij P., (2003) Victims of Cyberstalking: An Exploratory Study of Harassment Perpetrated Via the Internet. First Monday [online], 8(10). Available at: http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue8_10/bocij/index.html

McFarlane, L. and Bocij P., (2003) An Exploration of Predatory Behaviour in Cyberspace: Towards a Typology of Cyberstalkers. First Monday [online], 8(9). Available at: http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue7_11/bocij/index.html

Bocij P., (2002) Corporate Cyberstalking: An Invitation to Build Theory. First Monday [online], 7(11). Available at: http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue7_11/bocij/index.html

Conference Papers

Bocij P. and McFarlane J., (2008) Cyberstalking: who are the victims and do they know? Manchester Metropolitan University Annual Research Student Conference, 17 September 2008. Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester.

Bocij P., (2008) Those who know and those who don't: The impact of deviant knowledge, assumed authority and accidental disinformation on social research. Research Institute for Health & Social Chance 2008 Annual Conference, 1-2 July 2008. Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester.

Bocij P., (2006) www.terror.com: a candid discussion of terrorist uses of technology. BPS North-West Regional Conference, 4 February 2006. Manchester: British Psychological Society.

It is worth studying the forums on Bad Science. The dis-inhibition is noted in many posters. For the dis-inhibition effect, Jonas is a classical example. If everyone observes his posts, he relishes the idea of concealing himself - it probably gives him some kind of power from the insecurities that plague him in his daily life. It is also his assumption that the General Medical Council is the all seeing, all powerful organisation that will protect him. So far his identity is known to seven people. For those of us in the know, in the Wakefield Libel case, the GMC admitted they could not keep much secret. Their data protection history is dubious since they are known to leak like a sieve. Jonas dismisses my statements by his assumption that I am somehow deranged. I can of course understand his need to escape to Brazil. Cowards often tend to run. He relishes the idea of causing suffering to Sarah Myhill without repercussions [ so he thinks] to himself. These are of course characteristics of a cyberbully. Cyber bullies are often painfully insecure, inadequate and ill informed. I would prefer to write about Jonas without his real name. This is because no one can defame an anonymous person :). Jonas may wish to be aware of my pedigree - I am quick to anger, completely unpredictable, I do like watching the Incredible Hulk, I may turn green at certain times, I win litigation cases and sometimes even lose. Overall, I am far more savvy than Ben Goldacre. Being a diva doesn't suit me. I read 30 pages per 10 minutes. I type faster than any NHS secretary and I probably cover large amounts of work in 1/10 of the time taken by everyone else. Pre-Actions can on average be written in 7.5 minutes. I could go on but my ego often doesn't fit through a normal sized door :).

Anyhow, here is a bit about cyberpsychology.

"As you move around the internet, most of the people you encounter can't easily tell who you are. System operators and some technologically savvy, motivated users may be able to detect your e-mail or internet address, but for the most part people only know what you tell them about yourself. If you wish, you can keep your identity hidden. As the word "anonymous" indicates, you can have no name - at least not your real name. That anonymity works wonders for the disinhibition effect. When people have the opportunity to separate their actions from their real world and identity, they feel less vulnerable about opening up. Whatever they say or do can't be directly linked to the rest of their lives. They don't have to own their behavior by acknowledging it within the full context of who they "really" are. When acting out hostile feelings, the person doesn't have to take responsibility for those actions. In fact, people might even convince themselves that those behaviors "aren't me at all." In psychology this is called "dissociation." Source Psychology of Cyberspace