That neighbor who spends his time observing the street behind his curtains, the colleague who whispers near the coffee machine… We have all already witnessed or participated in gossip. If this habit is considered petty, social psychology nevertheless shakes up this stereotype. Several studies explain that it is actually a positive social skill.
To understand this behavior, researchers equipped 467 volunteers with small portable recorders that automatically captured extracts of their daily conversations. After analyzing these real exchanges, the authors noted in their study that “gossip is everywhere” but that he “tended to be neutral, rather than positive or negative”. About 85% of these discussions consist of simply sharing factual and social news, without any judgment, such as a neighbor’s move for example. It is an essential habit for maintaining contact and knowing what is going on around us, in our circle of loved ones.
So what about the remaining 15% of gossip, the one that contains criticism? This is where gossip hides another very useful role. Another study highlights the concept of “prosocial gossip”that is to say altruistic gossip which serves to help each other. To observe this reaction, the team of scientists measured the heart rate of participants who witnessed cheating during a game. The researchers found that seeing a bad action causes a spike in stress (physical and emotional discomfort). On the other hand, “sharing such information reduces the negative affect created by observing antisocial behavior”. Clearly, warning a loved one that a person is being taken advantage of or behaving badly reduces this stress. We share this information to protect others from abusive behavior and to help each other, without entering into open conflict.
Additionally, these daily discussions create strong bonds and bring people together. Telling each other a little secret or a little exclusive information allows you to trust each other and get closer. Gossip also helps us understand how to live in community. This phenomenon makes it possible to define “what is acceptable or unacceptable behavior in the social group”. In other words, listening to a story about someone who behaved badly allows us to learn the rules of those around us without committing the mistake ourselves, which prevents us from being rejected by our friends or colleagues.
But be careful not to go too far. Gossip loses its positive function when it ceases to be neutral or protective. Researchers point out that if this behavior is so frowned upon by the general public, it is because there is an element of gossip motivated by selfishness or malice. Criticizing a person on a specific point is also proof of jealousy. When the intention is no longer to help each other, but to spread stories to deliberately harm or exclude a person, the altruistic mechanism collapses.
