Video Game Trolls and Dopamine Withdrawal

Synonyms

Dopamine; Troll; Trolling

Definitions

Dopamine is a chemical compound that is released in the brain to send signals to other nerve cells, including those that make possible reward- or pleasure-driven behavior. Trolls are Internet users who stalk, degrade, diminish, or abuse individual people, brands, or institutions through Internet channels including email, social media websites, and/or blogs. The act of trolling is to apply these toxic actions through said Internet channels.

Introduction

Online trolling has become a shameful practice since the early days of the Internet. However, in recent years, the actions of trolls have reached new lows that go beyond petty insults on Twitter. This article raises an unexplored possibility as to why trolls have become so excessive and extreme in their hostility.

Overview

Trolling is an unfortunate yet persistent part of Internet culture and has reared its ugly head since the early days of online service provider chat rooms and message...