People with a preference for staying up late show higher tendencies for everyday sadism

Summary: Do you love staying up late? A new study found that "night owls" might have a slightly darker side. Researchers discovered a link between staying up late and "everyday sadism." Everyday sadism means getting a little bit of joy from seeing others experience minor pain or trouble, like online bullying or playing mean pranks.

Why does this happen? Scientists think it goes back to human history. The dark, quiet night gave people a chance to break rules without being watched or judged. To test this, a researcher in China used a fake bug-crushing machine! They found that people who prefer the night were more likely to volunteer to crush the bugs. Of course, this doesn't mean all night owls are bad people. It just shows that our body clocks and personalities might be connected in surprising ways.

For more details, see PsyPost at psypost.org/people-with-a-preference-for-staying-up-late-show-higher-tendencies-for-everyday-sadism/ (opens in new tab)

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