Changes

In the last decade, gossip has been researched in terms of its [[evolution]]ary [[psychology]] origins.[1] This has found gossip as an important means by which people can monitor cooperative reputations and so maintain widespread indirect reciprocity[2] Indirect reciprocity is defined here as "I help you and somebody else helps me". Gossip has also been identified by Robin Dunbar an evolutionary biologist as aiding social bonding in large [[group]]s.[3]

In the last decade, gossip has been researched in terms of its [[evolution]]ary [[psychology]] origins.[1] This has found gossip as an important means by which people can monitor cooperative reputations and so maintain widespread indirect reciprocity[2] Indirect reciprocity is defined here as "I help you and somebody else helps me". Gossip has also been identified by Robin Dunbar an evolutionary biologist as aiding social bonding in large [[group]]s.[3]

The term is sometimes used to specifically refer to the spreading of dirt and misinformation, as (for example) through excited discussion of scandals. Some newspapers carry "gossip columns" which detail the social and personal lives of celebrities or of élite members of certain communities.

The term is sometimes used to specifically refer to the spreading of dirt and misinformation, as (for example) through excited discussion of scandals. Some newspapers carry "gossip columns" which detail the social and personal lives of celebrities or of élite members of certain communities.