I am sure that you all have heard of the infamous quote once said by Eleanor Roosevelt, “great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.” While I agree with Eleanor, it turns out that gossip does serve a purpose. Once again, I did some research on the topic and would like to share my findings with you.

In our daily lives, idle chatter is accepted and ignored. Everyone gossips from time to time, but these frivolous conversations aren’t thought of as having any meaning. However, investigators have started to pay attention to gossip and have found that our meaningless conversations are actually a fundamental part of group interaction. Multiple studies have shown that gossiping keeps people in their place. Through rumors, people often figure out what is expected of them in a group of people and then they try to fall in line. Then, for people who are already in the group, through rumors, they learn how to evolve and keep in the groups good graces socially. According to Elena Martinescu , “Gossip recipients tend to use positive and negative group information to improve, promote, and protect self. Individuals need to evaluate information about others to evaluate themselves.” Personally, I have never thought about gossip and rumors in this light, but Martinescu raises a good point. Her statement can also be proved by researchers who reported studies in the journal, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

One study reported, consisted of 178 undergraduate students who were broken up into groups of at least four students. Once the undergrads were in their groups, they were told to describe a situation in which a fellow group member gossiped to them about another incident that revealed the confidence levels of an additional group member. Interestingly enough, 85 undergrads described hearing positive gossip and 93 described hearing negative gossip. As a result, after hearing these rumors about their fellow group members, students reported coming across three major evaluations of themselves. One-third felt that the information they received was beneficial because they were able to take away a lesson for themselves based on someone else experiences. Other undergrads came to the conclusion of self-promotion in which they felt that they were doing well compared to the target of the gossip. Lastly, some undergrads increased in personal concerns. They felt as if hearing the rumors about their fellow group members made them feel the need to protect their own image.

Anyone else find it interesting that the first thing the students in this experiment thought of after receiving positive and negative gossip was “personal value?” Again, I have always thought of gossip and rumors as idle chatter. I have never thought that it was beneficial to me in particular situations. At the same time, maybe its benefits are subconscious?

Moreover, the researchers of this experiment concluded three things. One, positive gossip equals self-improvement. “Competence-related positive gossip about others contains lessons about how to improve one’s own competence.” Second, negative gossip equals self-promotion. “It provides individuals with social comparison information that justifies self-promoting judgements, which results in feelings of pride.” Last, but not least, researchers concluded that, “most negative gossip is not intended to hurt the target, but to please the gossiper and receiver.”

I don’t know about you guys, but this sure is a different take on gossip and rumors that I would have never thought about. Let me know what you guys think! “Pass the word.” 🙂

Websites used:

http://theweek.com/articles/442686/why-gossip-according-science

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/16/science/have-you-heard-gossip-turns-out-to-serve-a-purpose.html?_r=0

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