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Gossip crosses gender lines |
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Tuesday, 06 November 2007 |
by JACQUELINE SCOTT
Intern Lifestyles Reporter
You hear whispers as you idly sit, waiting for class to begin.
He said. She said.
A lot of it is speculation, gossip.
The word “gossip” is derived from the old English word “godsib” meaning godparent.
In those times, female godsibs were known to discuss town occurrences.
The origins of gossip date to early man.
“In cultures before writing, gossip was how people got news,” cultural
anthropology professor Dr. Linda J. Jencson said. “It was, and still
is, how people pass judgment, make their opinions known about other
people’s behavior, and how we get news about people who are not
considered ‘news worthy’ by the official press.”
Sometimes these judgments and opinions can cause more harm than good,
said Dr. Dan L. Jones, the director of Counseling and Psychological
Services.
“Gossip can be hurtful,” he said. “It can cause emotional distress that is mostly brought on by false information.”
Even if they are just rumors, something drives people to gossip.
Sociology professor Dr. Ken B. Muir said the primary purpose of gossip is to make a person feel better about themselves.
Jones describes this mechanism as “projection.”
“Sometimes we can’t stand something about ourselves. Through gossip, we project these negative things onto others,” he said.
Muir also points out a distinction in a female’s version of gossip and a male’s version.
“Men and women gossip about the same topics, but men’s gossip tends to
be more about themselves than about other people and also, men react
differently when confronted with gossiping by claiming they thought the
information was not private but public knowledge,” he said.
Contrary to the longstanding stereotype that females gossip more
frequently than males, Muir said research suggests men gossip more than
women by about 33 percent versus the 25 percent that women do.
“Men’s gossip tends to take place at work among colleagues and friends,
while women’s gossip tends to take place between family members and
very close friends,” he said.
In some instances, gossip has the ability to ruin a relationship or allow people to gain from it.
“Gossip can create conflict and drama among people, as seen in such movies as ‘Mean Girls,’” Jones said.
However, gossip can also yield entertainment.
“Celebrity gossip serves as an escape just like video games, movies, or
television,” he said. “Celebrities live glamorous lives, or so we like
to think, and so we live vicariously through these celebrities.”
To abstain from gossip, freshman undecided major Sarah I.A. Hostyk stands on her Jewish faith.
Hostyk says Judaism warns about being a ‘peddler of gossip.’
While religion and gossip are opposing facets, Muir said gossip can be somewhat positive in nature.
“I think that gossip can have its positive effects, but that is far
outweighed by the negative effects,” he said. “Remember what your
parents taught you.If you can’t say something nice about someone, don’t
say anything.”
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