Turns out, narcissists are more likely to post revenge porn online

Narcissists and those with psychopathic traits, like impulsivity and lack of empathy, are more likely to post revenge porn online, suggests a study that found there is a link between revenge porn proclivity and specific psychological characteristics.

Revenge porn is the act of sharing intimate, sexually graphic images and/or videos of another person onto public online platforms, such as Facebook.

The findings, published in the International Journal of Technoethics, showed that those with higher levels of the ‘Dark Triad’ of psychological characteristics, which comprises of persons endorsing psychopathy, Machiavellianism and narcissism, are more likely to engage in revenge porn.

Machiavellianism refers to a personality trait that involves employment of cunning means to achieve one’s goals.

The research led by Afroditi Pina of University of Kent in Britain also found that a majority of people endorse the use of revenge porn.

The study involved responses from 100 adults aged 18-54.

Although only 29% of participants in the study reported a likelihood to engage in revenge porn activity, 99 per cent of people expressed at least some approval of revenge porn being posted online when presented with a scenario about a partner walking out on them.

The researchers also found that 87% of participants expressed at least some excitement or amusement with revenge porn.

The researchers concluded that, although most participants would be “unlikely to commit an act of revenge porn themselves”, there is an “acceptance” among the majority of behaviour they know is “frequently occurring online”.

This could have significant implications “especially if one considers the facilitating role of online bystanders in the rapid dissemination of revenge porn materials”, the researchers said.