The Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde: Analysis of r/ToastMe and r/RoastMe Users on Reddit
Research Poster Social & Behavioral Sciences 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Wooyong Jung
Exhibition Number 103
Abstract
This study, focusing on two Reddit subcommunities of r/ToastMe and r/RoastMe, aims to (1) characterize and understand users (named Jekyll and Hyde) who simultaneously participate in two subreddits with opposing tones and purposes, (2) build predictive models detecting those Jekyll and Hyde users to assess how unique and idiosyncratic their characteristics are, and (3) investigate their motivations of participation and potential interaction between the two contrasting activities through a survey and one-on-one interviews. Our results reveal that the Jekyll and Hyde users are generally more active and popular than ordinary users. Also, they use assimilated language customized to each community’s tone. Combining these findings with their motivations unveiled through the survey and interviews, we conclude that the Jekyll and Hyde users are digitally culture-savvy, who know how to utilize online community benefits and enjoy each community’s culture by assimilating themselves into the community and observing its rules. Moreover, the users’ duality observed in this process underscores the dynamic and multifaceted nature of online personas. These findings highlight the need for a nuanced approach to understanding online behaviors and provide insights for designing healthier online environments, emphasizing the importance of clear community norms and the potential interplay of users’ activities across different communities.
Importance
The significance of this study can be summarized in two ways: First, it demonstrates that digital-savvy users present themselves in various manners appropriate for each online community, even adopting opposing tones and attitudes simultaneously. The users illustrated that engagement in online communities with differing norms and tones can be effectively utilized. This offers insights for fostering a healthy online community environment. Second, it highlights the complex motivations and behaviors of online community users. By emphasizing the interdependent relationship between activities in communities with conflicting tones, we show the potential pitfalls of concluding individuals' personalities or characteristics based solely on their engagement within a single community. With these findings, this study suggests that future research should avoid stigmatizing users based on their specific activities.