#19: To Be So Bold

Adding an extra dose of behavioral science to your week with our series In a Nutshell— a collection of behavioral science principles, explained in 150 words or less, written weekly by CUBIC director Allison Zelkowitz.

Have you ever been “attacked” online, or felt shocked by the aggressive responses from strangers to a post?

Coined by Psychologist John Suler, the online disinhibition effect explains that many people say and do things online that they would not do face-to-face.  Factors include:

• Anonymity: ability to hide some or all of one’s identity, and compartmentalize their online self

• Invisibility: when people can’t see each other, or have to deal with eye contact or facial expressions, they feel more daring

• Asynchronicity: ability to carefully craft messages then “post and run”  

• Dissociative imagination: creation of internet personas that abide by different rules and norms  

As described in this video, while online disinhibition can lead people to act out, it can also have positive effects – by reducing fears of social repercussions, it can inspire greater self-disclosure and intimate conversations, and promote a sense of trust among participants in some games and forums.