I don't have an answer based on any kind of scientific information, but I have a theory about this. I think that young boys who are learning how to behave towards women test their boundaries. Since they are anonymous, they go way too far into aggression. So I think the combination of being at the bottom of the food chain in terms of being a mate combines with their anonymity and their lack of actual social skills in behaving towards women.

Ha maybe the response to this type of abuse is to link the offender to research like that

Just guessing based on behaviours I have witnessed amongst school friends and work colleagues.

If you're not an attractive person yourself there are women and girls who are out of your reach. This breeds resentment at an early age, and a weapon of choice, for some, is derogatory language.

Why, because what else can you do to hurt someone so easily without fear of repercussion?

The problem is not just confined to misogynists btw. If you're a man and have an attractive wife or girlfriend the insulting behaviour still goes on, but usually behind your back - these people are generally cowards after all.

Actually, people are colder and more abusive towards those less good-looking. The case described in the article is not due to beauty. It's because people think it's a bot or at least a fake photo. That's what irritates them.

Ahh, yes, that would explain it. I guess the next step here would be to put a note that says this is a human and see how people respond!

Yes! They should definitely try that experiment!

When reading the article my first questions were: do these people think there is a real human at the other end, and, if so, do they think the photo is of that human? It's probably impossible to answer that question directly, but putting up a notice similar to "you are talking to a real person, not a bot" and seeing how that affects the behaviour would give some indication, perhaps.

Did you speak to the people in question or are you just speculating on the reason for their behaviour?

I think it's obvious that everyone here is speculating, there's no benefit to trying to call one of them out.

But then why would you harass a bot?

Because it's an emotionless inanimate thing, so it's a safe place to play around with saying things you otherwise never could?

Maybe for the same reason that I drown or starve my Sims characters

Because it's safer than harassing a human. Perfectly reasonable people will be abusive to a bot, because they assume the bot cannot feel it.

Sour grapes. If you know you can't have or get something, pretend you never wanted it. Thus your ego is preserved.

I don't think anybody thinks in these terms about an internet chatbot.

Objectification. Performative masculinity.