Biased judgments occur when directional goals or motives influence the decision-making process. This occurs in self-deceptive enhancement in which
self-serving evaluations override accurate self-judgment. Because of this, it's theorized that sadistic individuals may be motivated to arrive at unconventional conclusions about harm and suffering, due to their appetite for cruelty.

How Sadists Judge the Consequences of Cruelty

The most common form in which others' suffering is minimized occurs in the general tendency to underestimate the physical suffering of low-status outgroup members. This underestimation is In line with moral disengagement theory. Additionally, this psychological rationalization process may help explain how everyday sadists can reconcile cruel behavior with a positive self-view.

Minimizing Suffering

- One possibility is that sadists judge the consequences of cruelty differently than do others
- Judgments about others’ suffering are subject to motivated reasoning in that suffering is often minimized

Boston University

Everyday sadism, also known as nonsexual, subclinical sadism, reflects cruelty in everyday life. People of this category experience pleasure from others' physical or psychological pain as they go about daily life. For example, these people might like watching violent movies, seeing a fight outside of a bar, or watching someone mess up a presentation at work. Beyond this, everyday sadists also enjoy doing things to elicit suffering, such as emotional manipulation.

Everyday Sadism

Buckels, E. E. (2006). The psychology of everyday sadism. University of British Columbia, 1–165. https://doi.org/10.14288/1.0369056

The psychology of everyday sadism

Sadism most strongly correlates with psychopathy, followed by Machiavellianism and narcissism. 

Sadism in Relation to the Dark Tetrad

Sadistic individuals are drawn to violent more than nonviolent or neutral video games, more aggressive/offensive type-hero in games, and being more fascinated with weapons than others. Video games can be a source of virtual satisfaction for people motivated with cruel needs. However, sadistic individuals might find a way to express and strengthen their sadistic needs by causing virtual harm to others and being aggressive. 

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