Is There Such Thing as Positive Gossip in the Workplace?

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Is there such a think as positive gossip?

Most current and past research focuses on the effect gossip in general has on people and within organizations (see Noon & Delbridge, 1993) but not specifically on "positive" gossip. The concept is hard to consider -- we are taught gossip is bad, yet researchers argue that this is not always the case. Social scientists study positive, negative, and neutral forms of gossip.

When researchers consider ‘positive gossip,’ they consider prosocial behavioral responses. For example, if a person shares information that helps the group avoid the adverse effects of a destructive or harmful peer, then this is a form of positive gossip. It is also positive when a person witnesses the "violation" and shares the outcome because this can help others correct their behavior (Alshehre, 2017).

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