The Disinhibition Effect

The non-fiction piece describing the disinhibition effect and the fictional piece “The Possibility of Evil” both contains ideas of anonymity and full expression through that anonymity. Although “The Online Disinhibition Effect” directly states how the effect happens and is used, it did not use real time examples, probably due to privacy, but the lack of it leaves one to wonder. However, the “The Possibility of Evil” tells of Ms. Strangeworth existing with this disinhibition effect and follows her doing her ‘normal’ tasks throughout a day. Even though she gets caught in the end, the disinhibition effect is still there within her. The two can be used to show that Miss Strangeworth is in fact a bully. Miss Strangeworth suffers, to some extent, dissociative anonymity. Dissociative anonymity works well with the disinhibition effect, as stated here, “That anonymity works wonders for the disinhibition effect… oppurtunity to separate their actions from their real world and identity, they feel less vulnerable… ”(Suler 1). This explains how being anonymous can lead to bullying; if one can’t be traced or blamed, they feel invincible and do things, like bully people, they wouldn’t normally do. In one of her letters, Miss Strangeworth writes, “Didn’t you ever see an idiot child before?” (Jackson 3). Normally, she is playful and passive when strolling around town, so in this letter she shows a different side of herself
“The Possibility of Evil” is a short story that follows her(Ms. Strangeworth) and her actions, but only in the end do repercussions take place, even if vaguely. “The Online Disinhibition Effect” explains the situations for disinhibition to breed, among other things. In the end, both of these pieces of writing show a different side of people than one would expect from confronting