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Women who gossip should be aware of themselves. According to a new study, ladies may be driven to talk about others due to low self-esteem and jealousy.
Women Who Gossip Reportedly Have Low Self-Esteem
Researchers from Beijing Normal University enlisted 190 women between the ages of 23 and 35. The study asked the participants to score their own physical beauty and self-worth on a scale.
Afterward, they were paired randomly to view images of women rated as extremely attractive. A social group with a male "target" was asked of the participants, along with a picture of a woman they had observed approaching the man in the group.
After rating their level of envy, respondents were shown unfavorable information about the lady and asked to determine how likely they were to share it in different social settings.
According to analysis, individuals were more inclined to tell their friends bad things about the woman than to tell anyone else. Additionally, if the woman was attractive, they were more likely to report experiencing higher emotions of romantic jealousy, which was associated with a higher likelihood of gossiping about her.
The researchers discovered that participants with poor self-esteem were likelier to chatter, especially when the rivals were very attractive.
The study examined whether and how young women exploited gossip tactics to their advantage while facing attractive, possible love rivals.
According to the findings, young women who faced physically beautiful potential competitors were more likely to feel romantic jealousy and to tell their friends unfavorable information that might damage the reputations of these competitors in the sexual sphere.
In addition, women with poor self-esteem were more likely to feel higher degrees of romantic jealousy and share unfavorable information with their peers.
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Gossip Has Some Benefits
However, a different study found that gossip has certain advantages, particularly when exchanging positive information. People gossip with each other to protect themselves from becoming the subject of rumors.
The researchers point out that other gossipers can serve as an incentive for the first one. One possible explanation for gossipers' "evolutionary advantage" is their ability to influence other people's behavior.
Therefore, the researchers stress that gossip can have a purpose even though it is generally disliked, especially when some of the information provided is advantageous.
According to study co-author Dana Nau, a retired professor from the University of Maryland's Department of Computer Science and Institute for Systems Research, rumors can tell people useful information about a person's suitability for interaction.
Additionally, gossip can be used to warn others of potential problems and reduce the chances of other individuals falling prey to the same scam. It can also help relieve anxiety. In an experiment, University of California, Berkeley researchers found that watching someone misbehave worried them and elevated their heart rates. However, the impact was lessened when they shared what they had observed with others. Most importantly, it can help build trust and communication.
"Sharing 'private' information can establish relationships between people so that they will continue to confide in each other," said Derek Arnold, a communication instructor at Villanova University. "They are more likely to work together on other activities."
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