NYCU Study Challenges Assumption That Online Bullying Is Driven by Anonymity

(中央社訊息服務20251218 12:22:28)Is anonymous trolling really the main culprit of online bullying? New research from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) suggests the answer is more complicated. A research team at NYCU’s Institute of Education has found that exclusionary cyberbullying does not only occur in anonymous settings. In fact, individuals using their real names may be even more likely to exclude others in online interactions, overturning long-held public assumptions that anonymity is what “makes people cruel.”

The study examined common exclusion-based forms of online aggression — such as removing members from group chats, blocking users, or deliberately ignoring others. These behaviors were found to be especially prevalent among individuals with high levels of “Dark Triad” personality traits, characterized in psychology by narcissism, manipulation, impulsivity, and low empathy.

The social interaction simulation experiment, led by Professor Yih-Lan Liu and Dr. Cheng-Yan Wang, recruited 115 adult participants to join LINE discussion groups. By creating controlled conflicts within groups, the researchers identified which participants were most likely to initiate exclusion in online interactions.

Strikingly, the study revealed that individuals high in Dark Triad traits tended to avoid open verbal arguments and instead opted for “direct exclusion” — such as calling for votes to remove a member from the chat simply due to disagreement. Even more unexpected: these exclusion behaviors appeared more frequently under real-name conditions, demonstrating that online aggression does not require anonymity.

The researchers note that some individuals continue to behave as if they are “unseen” online even when identified by real names, suggesting that the sense of anonymity can function as a psychological driver rather than being imposed solely by platform settings.

The findings demonstrate that online exclusion arises from an interaction between personality traits and situational factors, rather than anonymity alone. Professor Liu emphasized that real-name policies alone are insufficient to suppress cyberbullying, urging platforms to strengthen behavior-detection systems, establish transparent group-management rules, and promote user education to enhance online safety.

“This research reminds us that ensuring respectful online interaction requires more than authentic identity verification,” Liu said. “Understanding individual differences — and designing systems that anticipate them — is key to building healthier digital communities.”