Gossip

Gossip matters to all things social, yet social scientists have been slow to pursue its secrets. What is gossip, and why do we participate in it? What are the consequences of gossip? Why do some people gossip more than others? When is gossip harmful? When is it helpful? Some of these questions are addressed by the authors of the articles that follow in this special issue.

Introduction to the Special Issue on Gossip
Pages 76–77
Wert, Sarah R.; Salovey, Peter

Research on Gossip: Taxonomy, Methods, and Future Directions
Pages 78–99
Foster, Eric K.

Gossip in Evolutionary Perspective
Pages 100–110
Dunbar, R. I. M.

Gossip as Cultural Learning
Pages 111–121
Baumeister, Roy F.; Zhang, Liqing; Vohs, Kathleen D.

A Social Comparison Account of Gossip
Pages 122–137
Wert, Sarah R.; Salovey, Peter

Postscript to the Special Issue on Gossip
Pages 138–140
Bloom, Paul