CHFA | Psychology Department Showcase: Completed Projects

Spilling the Tea: Influence of Gossip on Social Judgements

Presenter Information

Hillary CopelandFollow

Academic Level at Time of Presentation

Graduate

Major

General Experimental Psychology

List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)

Jana Hackathorn, PhD

Presentation Format

Poster Presentation

Abstract/Description

Gossip's ubiquitous presence in daily conversations can significantly influence group dynamics, particularly when associated with social functions, such as influence, friendship, information, or entertainment (Foster, 2004). Gossip also functions as a group serving behavior related to building, maintaining, and strengthening social bonds (Dunbar, 2004). Across two studies, we examined the effects of gossip on participants' evaluations of absent targets. In study one, undergraduate students (N = 128) were presented with short biographies describing four different types of group members (ingroup-deviant, ingroup-normative, outgroup-deviant, outgroup-normative). They were then randomly assigned to read gossip (or not) about the target. Gossip included two positive statements and two negative statements. Participants then rated each target on self-image, trustworthiness, likeability, and exemplary potential. Lastly, group identification was included as a covariate. Results of a mixed-model ANCOVA indicated a main effect of gossip, F(1, 125) = 8.40, MSE = 59.72, p = .004, ηp2 = .06 on target ratings. Study two followed the same procedure used in study one; however, participants (N = 206) in the gossip condition were presented with only two statements of negative gossip about each target. A mixed-model ANCOVA indicated a main effect of gossip, F(1, 203) = 12.54, MSE = 80.34, p < .001, ηp2 = .06 on target ratings. In both studies, participants who read gossip about an absent target perceived the target more negatively than participants who did not read gossip. These results suggest that gossip can negatively influence the target's social identity, regardless of gossip valence or group identification.

Keywords: gossip, social identity, group membership, deviance

Spring Scholars Week 2022 Event

Psychology: Completed Projects

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 

Spilling the Tea: Influence of Gossip on Social Judgements

Gossip's ubiquitous presence in daily conversations can significantly influence group dynamics, particularly when associated with social functions, such as influence, friendship, information, or entertainment (Foster, 2004). Gossip also functions as a group serving behavior related to building, maintaining, and strengthening social bonds (Dunbar, 2004). Across two studies, we examined the effects of gossip on participants' evaluations of absent targets. In study one, undergraduate students (N = 128) were presented with short biographies describing four different types of group members (ingroup-deviant, ingroup-normative, outgroup-deviant, outgroup-normative). They were then randomly assigned to read gossip (or not) about the target. Gossip included two positive statements and two negative statements. Participants then rated each target on self-image, trustworthiness, likeability, and exemplary potential. Lastly, group identification was included as a covariate. Results of a mixed-model ANCOVA indicated a main effect of gossip, F(1, 125) = 8.40, MSE = 59.72, p = .004, ηp2 = .06 on target ratings. Study two followed the same procedure used in study one; however, participants (N = 206) in the gossip condition were presented with only two statements of negative gossip about each target. A mixed-model ANCOVA indicated a main effect of gossip, F(1, 203) = 12.54, MSE = 80.34, p < .001, ηp2 = .06 on target ratings. In both studies, participants who read gossip about an absent target perceived the target more negatively than participants who did not read gossip. These results suggest that gossip can negatively influence the target's social identity, regardless of gossip valence or group identification.

Keywords: gossip, social identity, group membership, deviance