Unless you have taken an oath of silence, there is no way out that you have never indulged in gossiping. Whether you are a true-blue gossip monger or engage in tittle-tattle occasionally, we can all agree on the fact that everyone gossips.
While it has been a common assumption that women tend to talk about people more than men, a recent study has busted the myth and reinstated that men equally love to gossip as well. In fact, a report published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science said that a typical person spends about 52 minutes per day engaging in titbits.
What exactly counts as gossiping?
Gossiping is in its truest meaning is engaging in casual conversation about the lives of other people. Contrary to popular beliefs, it is actually not tearing down other people’s reputation or spreading malicious rumours about them, but rather sharing information about a person who is not present there.
Why do we engage in hearsay?
According to a study conducted by the University of California-Riverside, people often gossip for as long as 52 minutes every day. So why exactly do we spend nearly an hour, on a daily basis to chitchat about someone who is not present there? The answer lies in the way we live and function as a group. Essentially, humans are social animals and we rely on people around us to thrive and survive. The concept of gossiping is the extension of the basic human nature of sharing information about the people around us to find out more about their personality.
The bottom line
In a way, indulging in gossiping is the oldest way of exchanging information with and about the people around us. Even though it may turn negative at times, it is also known to strengthen a group’s cooperation and makes the members less selfish. Why do we actually gossip? A study tells us the real answer.
