It's Good To Gossip

Gossiping releases the ‘love hormone’ and helps friends feel closer, a study claims.

20:06 18 January 2017

A new study has found that gossiping is good for your health and well-being no matter what kind of personality you have. The study found that talking about others increases the levels of oxytocin, which is commonly called the ‘love’ hormone.

 

Researchers from the University of Pavia in Italy have conducted experiments involving 22 women to understand the effects of gossip on them.

 

Dr Natascia Brondino, the study’s lead author, became curious on the effects of gossiping on the brain after she noticed that she felt closer to her female colleagues after they gossiped.

 

‘I started to wonder whether there was a biochemical cause for this feeling of closeness,’ she said.

 

They found that when compared to ordinary conversation, gossiping triggers the release of more oxytocin, which is also released during lovemaking. 

 

Dr Brondino said that the release of the hormone helps bring people closer together after they have gossiped. On evolutionary terms, the authors say gossip has its uses, including ‘establishing group rules, punishing trespassers, exercising social influence through reputational systems, and developing and strengthening social bonds.’