It’s official, gossiping is what makes us human – but why, when and how often do we do it?
We caught up with Dr Jennifer Cole, a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Manchester University, to get all the details on gossiping.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. What is it that makes us gossip? There are four main functions of gossip:
a. Information (to learn about our social group)
b. Influence (to influence the reputation of others)
c. Entertainment (passing the time)
d. Social bonding (making and maintaining friendship)
Recently, it has also been proposed that there is an additional function, which is Group Protection, this is where… Read the full story