The Inside Scoop

Levin, Jack; Arluke, Arnold

doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-6112-9_1

Cited by 44 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 2 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…For instance, gossip facilitates critical thinking as a social sense-making tool (Bok, 1982), and gossip includes positive information and delivers a more accurate experiential truth than objective explanation (Levin & Arluke, 1987). Similarly, gossip is essentially negative and cannot be unveiled in public (Leaper & Holliday, 1995), and gossip has received pejorative criticism with all cultures and societies experiencing similarly scandalous effects of gossip (Rosnow & Georgoudi, 1985).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gossip facilitates critical thinking as a social sense-making tool (Bok, 1982). Similarly, Levin and Arluke (1987) claim that gossip includes positive information, and that gossip can deliver a more accurate, experiential truth than objective explanations. More specifically, positive gossip facilitates group member cooperation, and that the levels of reciprocity, trust and reputation between individual members are also enhanced (Sommerfeld, Krambeck, & Milinski, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Gossip in the workplace and the implications for HR management: a study of gossip and its relationship to employee cynicism

Kuo

Chang

Quinton

et al. 2014

The International Journal of Human Resource Management

108

127

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Gossip is a common phenomenon in the workplace, but yet relatively little is understood about its influence to employees. This study adopts social information theory and social cognitive theory to interpret the diverse literature on gossip, and to develop and test hypotheses concerning some of the antecedents of gossip, with an aim of developing knowledge of the relationship between gossip and employee behaviour in the workplace. The study analysed survey data in a two-stage process, from 362 employees across a range of industries in Taiwan. The findings revealed that jobrelated gossip predicted employee cynicism and mediated the relationship between psychological contract violation and cynicism, and that non-job-related gossip showed a similar but weaker effect to employee cynicism. The contribution made by this paper is of value to both the academic subject domain and managers in Human Resources. First, we have identified two constructs of gossip, job-related and non-job-related gossip not previously reported and a validated scale has been created. Second, we have confirmed that these different constructs of gossip impact differently on employee behaviour and therefore HR managers should be cautious about gossip in the workplace, as it can cause cynical behaviour amongst employees.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gossip in the workplace and the implications for HR management: a study of gossip and its relationship to employee cynicism

Kuo

Chang

Quinton

et al. 2014

The International Journal of Human Resource Management

108

127

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…At the group level, gossip has been aptly called "a slow scanning of the total informational resource of the group" (Roberts, 1964, p. 441) or "a sort of tally sheet for public opinion" (Szwed, 1966, p. 435). The "official line," in this age of sophisticated and instantaneously informed publics, is often dismissed in favor of "the inside scoop" that only gossip can provide (Ayim, 1994;Crampton, Hodge, & Mishra, 1998;Levin & Arluke, 1987;Rosnow, 2001). Suls (1977) observed that, although it may be possible to communicate directly with other people regarding needed social comparison information, gossip may be the better means to such knowledge if the information sought is of an unfavorable kind.…”

Section: Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on Gossip: Taxonomy, Methods, and Future Directions

Foster

2004

Review of General Psychology

458

682

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A half century of gossip research from multiple disciplines is reviewed. Discussed are definitions of the construct; social, evolutionary, and personal functions of the practice; and data collection methods. Though people engage in the practice frequently, there has been relatively little psychological research on gossip. The layperson's understanding of the term is included in, but insufficient to encompass, definitions used by researchers. Most data are ethnographic and discursive, and few parametric data exist. The area could benefit from better experimental methods and instruments. Neurobiological and social network analysis methods are promising foundations for further study. There are real-world implications for understanding gossip. Strengthening gossip theory and research methods will beneficially inform the way we view the practice in context.

show abstract

“…The tendency to gossip has been found to correlate, not surprisingly, with extroversion (Litman & Pezzo, 2005) and other-directedness (Levin & Arluke, 1987), as well as anxiety (Jaeger, Skleder, & Rosnow, 1998;Rosnow & Fine, 1976). In a study of adolescent girls, the most popular girls not only gossiped the most, but also gossiped more harshly about others (McDonald, Putallaz, Grimes, Kupersmidt, & Coie, 2007), which is consistent with a conceptualization of gossip as a tool to gain (or maintain) power.…”

Section: Who Gossips To Whom?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Gossip and the Group: A Self-Categorization Perspective

Turcotte¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

of the Dissertation Gossip and theGossip is a little studied topic and even fewer studies have examined gossip from the perspective of social identity and self categorization theories. However, many of the functions of gossip have significant implications for group processes, including bonding, norm transmission and reinforcement, marginalization of deviants, and social influence. Particularly for those on the margins of the group, gossip may be used as a tool to gain acceptance in the group, as gossip is an effective way to express group loyalty and adherence to group norms. Study One investigated the extent to which being a prototypical member of one's group was predictive of likelihood to spread gossip. Using sororities as the group, members were presented with a hypothetical piece of gossip and asked the extent to which the member who gossiped is peripheral, how likely they would be to share the gossip with other group members, and how prototypical they perceive themselves to be of the sorority. It was predicted that peripheral group members would be more likely to spread gossip than other group members, particularly about other peripheral group members, and particularly when the information was not highly negative. Study Two was conducted in parallel, using the same methodology, but with a piece of gossip about a celebrity instead of a fellow sorority member. It was predicted that the results would mirror those of Study One and that peripheral members would be most likely to spread the gossip. While none of the stated hypotheses were supported, there were several unanticipated interactions. In both StudyOne and Study Two, there was a significant three-way interaction, in that a highly uncertain respondent, a prototypical target, and relatively mild negative gossip was associated with anticipated transmission to the highest number of sorority members. While the results were unanticipated, they are not inexplicable and the implications for research in the areas of gossip, celebrity, and self categorization theory are discussed.

show abstract

The Inside Scoop

Cited by 44 publications

References 2 publications

Gossip in the workplace and the implications for HR management: a study of gossip and its relationship to employee cynicism

Gossip in the workplace and the implications for HR management: a study of gossip and its relationship to employee cynicism

Research on Gossip: Taxonomy, Methods, and Future Directions

Gossip and the Group: A Self-Categorization Perspective

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About