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Article: What gossip's good for
- Article from:
- International Herald Tribune
- Article date:
- August 16, 2005
- Author:
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Benedict Carey
International Herald Tribune
08-16-2005
Gossip has long been dismissed by researchers as little more than background noise, self-serving blather that serves no useful function. But some investigators now say that it belongs front and center in any study of group interaction.People find gossip irresistible for good reason: It not only helps clarify and enforce the rules that keep people working well together, studies suggest, but it also circulates crucial information about the behavior of others that cannot be published in an office manual. As often as it sullies reputations, psychologists say, gossip offers a foothold for newcomers in a group and a safety net for group ...