Trolling on Tinder® (and other dating apps): Examining the role of the Dark Tetrad and impulsivity

- Online behaviour may offer opportunity for new antisocial behaviours.
- Explored the occurrence of trolling on online dating apps (e.g., Tinder®)
- Trolling behaviours on Tinder® were associated with psychopathy and sadism.
- Psychopathy moderates relations between dysfunctional impulsivity and trolling.
- Trolling may not account for hostile, antisocial behaviours observed on apps.

No longer conceptualised as only for the “desperate”, online dating offers many benefits over face-to-face dating. Accompanying the benefits of online dating is the potential for new, distinct forms of antisocial behaviour online, such as trolling. The current study (N = 357) sought to explore the antisocial behaviour of trolling on Location-Based Real-Time Dating applications (i.e., LBRTD apps) in an online sample of Australians sourced from the community. Specifically, we examined the role of participant's sex and of the personality traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, sadism, and impulsivity in predicting perpetration of trolling behaviours on LBRTD apps. Although there were no sex differences, the traits of psychopathy, sadism, and dysfunctional impulsivity were significantly associated with trolling behaviours. Subsequent moderation analysis revealed that dysfunctional impulsivity predicts perpetration of trolling, but only if the individual has medium or high levels of trait psychopathy. Results of the current study aid in further conceptualising the personality of the Internet “troll”. Future research should further explore antisocial online behaviours, such as other hostile behaviour that occurs on LBRTD apps.