The virtues of gossip: Reputational information sharing as prosocial behavior.

Abstract

Reputation systems promote cooperation and deter antisocial behavior in groups. Little is known, however, about how and why people share reputational information. Here, we seek to establish the existence and dynamics of prosocial gossip, the sharing of negative evaluative information about a target in a way that protects others from antisocial or exploitative behavior. We present a model of prosocial gossip and the results of 4 studies testing the model's claims. Results of Studies 1 through 3 demonstrate that (a) individuals who observe an antisocial act experience negative affect and are compelled to share information about the antisocial actor with a potentially vulnerable person, (b) sharing such information reduces negative affect created by observing the antisocial behavior, and (c) individuals possessing more prosocial orientations are the most motivated to engage in such gossip, even at a personal cost, and exhibit the greatest reduction in negative affect as a result. Study 4 demonstrates that prosocial gossip can effectively deter selfishness and promote cooperation. Taken together these results highlight the roles of prosocial motivations and negative affective reactions to injustice in maintaining reputational information sharing in groups. We conclude by discussing implications for reputational theories of the maintenance of cooperation in human groups.

Gossip as Social Control: Informal Sanctions on Ethical Violations in Scientific Workplaces

“…While gossip typically has negative connotations, Feinberg et al (2012) argue that "prosocial gossip" has an important positive role in social life. What they mean by prosocial gossip is "the sharing of negative evaluative information about a target in a way that protects others from antisocial or exploitative behavior" (Feinberg et al 2012(Feinberg et al : 1015.…”

“…Feinberg et al (2012) suggest that gossip might serve as an effective form of social control, resolving the "social dilemma" (Dawes 1980) generated by the tension between individualism and scientific norms. However, previous research also suggests that gossip has detrimental consequences on organizational culture, in its capacity to weaken trust and morale (Akande and Odewale 1994;Baker and Jones 1996;van Iterson and Clegg 2008).…”

“…What they mean by prosocial gossip is "the sharing of negative evaluative information about a target in a way that protects others from antisocial or exploitative behavior" (Feinberg et al 2012(Feinberg et al : 1015. They argue that it contributes to social life by motivating members of a group to remain committed to group norms in the face of temptations of selfish action.…”

“…(For an exhaustive list of definitions of gossip in the literature, see Michelson, van Iterson, and Waddington 2010:379). For our purposes here, we adopt a broad definition used in recent research (e.g., Feinberg et al 2012;Foster 2004;Michelson, van Iterson, and Waddington 2010)-evaluative talk between two or more persons about absent third parties.…”

“…It can thus be seen as a form of "prosocial gossip" (Feinberg et al 2012). In this article we examine scientists' Elaine Howard Ecklund 4 perceptions of gossip as a mechanism of social control.…”