Gossip, Gossipers, Gossiping
- 1 January 1978
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Vol. 4 (1) , 161-168
- https://doi.org/10.1177/014616727800400135
Abstract
The nature and meaning of gossip are discussed, drawing upon interdisciplinary observations. Gossiping is not restricted to one modality of expression. Nor is gossip merely "idle talk!' (the common definition), but instead purposeful communication that appears to serve three primary functions-information, influence, and entertainment. Implications for further inquiry and theoretical integration are noted.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Social Components of Children's GossipJournal of Communication, 1977
- Basking in reflected glory: Three (football) field studies.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1976
- Equity judgments as information integration.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1976
- Norms affecting self-disclosure in men and women.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1976
- Through the one-way mirror: The limits of experimental self-reflection.American Psychologist, 1975
- Self-disclosure: A literature review.Psychological Bulletin, 1973
- Consonant and dissonant communications as positive and negative reinforcements in opinion change.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1968
- Papers in Honor of Melville J. Herskovits: Gossip and ScandalCurrent Anthropology, 1963
- A Theory of Social Comparison ProcessesHuman Relations, 1954
- Word-of-Mouth Communication in the Soviet UnionPublic Opinion Quarterly, 1953