The article by John Suler, Ph.D., explores the phenomenon of the "online disinhibition effect," where individuals exhibit more self-disclosure or intense behavior online compared to in person. This effect is influenced by several factors: dissociative anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, solipsistic introjection, dissociative imagination, and minimization of authority. These factors create a shift in intrapsychic constellations, involving clusters of affect and cognition that differ from in-person interactions. The disinhibition effect can manifest as benign behavior, such as sharing personal feelings and acts of kindness, or toxic behavior, such as rude language and harmful actions. The article also discusses how individual differences and predispositions play a role in the extent of disinhibition. It emphasizes that the disinhibition effect is not about revealing a "true self" but rather a shift in intrapsychic structure, and it can be understood through the lens of dissociation and information processing.The article by John Suler, Ph.D., explores the phenomenon of the "online disinhibition effect," where individuals exhibit more self-disclosure or intense behavior online compared to in person. This effect is influenced by several factors: dissociative anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, solipsistic introjection, dissociative imagination, and minimization of authority. These factors create a shift in intrapsychic constellations, involving clusters of affect and cognition that differ from in-person interactions. The disinhibition effect can manifest as benign behavior, such as sharing personal feelings and acts of kindness, or toxic behavior, such as rude language and harmful actions. The article also discusses how individual differences and predispositions play a role in the extent of disinhibition. It emphasizes that the disinhibition effect is not about revealing a "true self" but rather a shift in intrapsychic structure, and it can be understood through the lens of dissociation and information processing.