Night Owls Linked to Higher Everyday Sadism, Study Finds
A Chronobiology International study reports that people who naturally prefer staying up late (night owls) tend to score higher on everyday sadism. In two Chinese studies (169 university students and 214 adults), eveningness correlated with self-reported sadistic traits, and in a lab task night owls were more likely to crush harmless bugs, suggesting a nighttime ecological niche may amplify certain dark personality tendencies. The researchers caution that the findings show correlation, not causation, and measurement limitations exist, but the work could inform understanding of when harmful behaviors surface and when moderation might be most needed online and in public spaces.