Gossip Makes The World A Better Place!

Filed under: Etc.

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An Irish university study found that gossip encourages people to be more generous.

Word!!!!

The study, published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, concluded: “It would appear that the threat of gossip only serves to promote generous behaviour when people are given the opportunity to enhance their reputation.”

Uhm, yeah, whatever that means!

In the experiment, they asked 72 college students to divide 10 tokens representing lottery tickets between themselves and a second person in whatever way they wanted.

People who knew that they would be 'talked about' gave more generously.

So what if it's self serving? Better to have some sharing than none at all!

The report also highlights previous studies that have showed that gossip also serves to help people build relationships and should be seen as a positive social skill. BUT, it is only when people are bad at it that it becomes a problem.

No problems here, then! We're good!

    Posted: Apr 17, 2008 at 5:20 pm / Email this  »

    43 comments to “Gossip Makes The World A Better Place!”

    1. ergetrjetwyjewjue says – reply to this


      1

      1ST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    2. Helena Bonham Carter Fan says – reply to this


      2

      I WAS FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    3. Helena Bonham Carter Fan says – reply to this


      3

      is there like, no one on here?

    4. sarahpdx says – reply to this


      4

      I definetly agree that people who can't gossip right mess it up for the rest of us.

    5. ergetrjetwyjewjue says – reply to this


      5

      yo im Helena Bonham Carter Fan.
      AND THERE IS NO ONE ON HERE!!!!

      Kristin Chenoweth Rocks
      Idina Menzel Rocks
      Helena Bonham Carter Rocks
      Jan Leigh Herdon Rocks
      Andrea Sperduti Rocks

      THEY ALL ROCK!!!!!!!

    6. kaitlinmc says – reply to this


      6

      so true
      gossip does make the world abetter play
      so does perezzz!!

    7. vikkid says – reply to this


      7

      Sweet!! Now I feel So much better..

    8. kaitlinmc says – reply to this


      8

      so true

    9. michael says – reply to this


      9

      4th…I think

    10. rewq says – reply to this


      10

      4th

    11. ali says – reply to this


      11

      woo! Go ireland!

    12. Cecily says – reply to this


      12

      Row row row you`r boat….

    13. Mandy says – reply to this


      13

      Gossip about some things is ok… not stuff that can damage someone's reputation though. PEREZ!

    14. Kristen says – reply to this


      14

      This study just vindicated my life. There is nothing wrong with gossiping about people as long as they don't find out about it.

    15. arr says – reply to this


      15

      ohh perez, then you must be a saint if that's true! hehehe, jk. love ya girl.

    16. deedee says – reply to this


      16

      Nothing wrong with gossip as long as it is sharing good things about people. Also nothing wrong with gossip as long as it is not malicious and manipulative.
      Re people giving generously because they are afraid they will be gossiped about by the haters.
      Much the same as Perez operates. Plays one celebrity off the other. Good and bad extremes. Then they are nice to him….like Madonna because they don't want pictures of wet crotches circulated.

    17. Jules says – reply to this


      17

      That is SUCH a load of crap! Some of the biggest shit-talkers and cruelest people are nice to everyone's face in hopes of not being talked about behind their back–but the fact is they're just BAD people. What difference does it make if someone is more giving or nice but only for selfish reasons because they don't care about anyone but themselves. Ridiculous! I think this *experiment* proved just the opposite–that people will benefit more from being honest and not gossiping. If you have something less than nice to say either keep it to yourself or say it to someone's face then there is no need for gossip and lies.

    18. irene says – reply to this


      18

      Love gossiping… =)

    19. heleyne says – reply to this


      19

      way to rip this story from jezebel.com and not credit them for it. they posted it yesterday btw.

    20. Grace E. says – reply to this


      20

      Queen’s University, Belfast…an Irish university!

    21. jason says – reply to this


      21

      Who is the black guy he is hot!!

    22. Kim says – reply to this


      22

      Queen's Belfast = BRITISH not Irish

    23. Big Davey says – reply to this


      23

      That's in the UK Perez!

    24. pink dis0rder says – reply to this


      24

      Tell me you didn't understand what that sentence actually means. Oh my god.

    25. jenny says – reply to this


      25

      Re: Kim – but it's on this island so it is still irish. i mean it's the part of ireland that is british and in the uk but no one in scotland would take offense to a university being called scottish, and no one in wales would be annoyed for a uni to be called welsh. it's irish, and in the uk. both are correct

    26. Kim says – reply to this


      26

      Re: jenny

      Hi Jenny,
      I'm studying at Queen's - it's wrong to call it an Irish University. It's a Northern Irish university. The media should respect that officially it's the UK when they're reporting like this. It doesn't matter what people on the ground refer to it is. Fact is fact.

    27. Road says – reply to this


      27

      Come on Perez, thats just putting a band aid on the problem. Its much deeper, but I do love you.

    28. Grace E. says – reply to this


      28

      Re: Kim – Irish is Irish. English are English. Welsch are Welsch. Scots are Scots. Indian is Indian. and so on.

    29. lissaaaaa says – reply to this


      29

      yeah, well irish universities are soooooooo much better than let's say QUEENS, BELFAST NI! BTW, belfast is still in ireland, just not the republic. but it's still joined by land the the emerald isle!

    30. IRELAND says – reply to this


      30

      Irish Research FTW!! W00T

    31. Kate says – reply to this


      31

      That is interesting and actually makes sense. What better way to bond with people than discussing something juicy like who so-and-so's married sister is doing on the side?

    32. Anonymous says – reply to this


      32

      good show!

    33. quebeckie says – reply to this


      33

      so insightful. i love you perez and all that you do.

    34. a fan says – reply to this


      34

      Correction *Northern Irish* University.

    35. jessica says – reply to this


      35

      hahaha 72 is not a representative sample.

    36. MLS says – reply to this


      36

      YOU ARE THE BEST GOSSIPER AROUND!!! LOVE YA!

    37. TimeZone says – reply to this


      37

      Hilarious. This "study" is not scientific — has no controls and has a small sample base with no standards of analysys or a perr reviewed author…
      i.e. it's BULLSHIT.
      .
      Gossip is big busine$$$$ — look at "People", "US", the "National Enquirer" and …er Perez. Gossip about celebrities as FAR different than gossiping about neighbors and friends.
      I don't buy those magazines but I come to this site because Perez has typically brought the inflated images of celebrities down a peg. The posts about his idols and those he has an out of proportion hate for are uninteresting, though.
      .
      So, Perez, you'r much more likeable when you're honest about being an asshols… don't try to dress it up with a pseudo-study.

    38. jkhglkjhlhgfl says – reply to this


      38

      they only give more in hopes that this will stop people from talking badly about them, and in turn not be the subject of the gossip

    39. David Morgan says – reply to this


      39

      Isn't Perez Hilton a lame ass bozo?

    40. Melanie says – reply to this


      40

      Woo! Thats my university! x

    41. DMAN says – reply to this


      41

      WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING LISTENING TO P-NASTY
      PUNISH THE TOILET , BREAK OUT THE SUN DIAL THIS IZ GONNA TAKE A WHILE

    42. jen says – reply to this


      42

      gossip is good… lol… i wrote my final research paper about it! …and the professor loved it.

    43. jenbunny says – reply to this


      43

      right, gossip makes people more generous …. with their bitching!