Psst! Listen to this…

Forget what you’ve heard, a recent study from Francis McAndrew and colleagues shows that gossip may be beneficial. Ok, it’s not all gossip, but a certain amount of gossip among allies may be important in building bonds, enforcing social norms, and sharing information. We gossip to raise our group status over those of other groups, for example, by sharing good news about our friends and loved ones, and seeking unfavorable news about our adversaries. As another study shows, we are also more interested in gossip about people our own gender and age. In fact, social comparison theory suggests that we seek this information to know where we stand in reference to others who are like us. We feel good if we are better off than those we compare ourselves to. So while some gossip may be beneficial in enhancing our group interactions and our self-esteem, it’s important to remember the consequences of gossip, especially if enhancing one’s status comes at the expense of others.

Further Reading:

MSNBC