Frank McAndrew is an American social psychologist and the Cornelia H. Dudley Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Knox College. And he’s giving people permission to gossip in 2026.
“Gossiping is very much like scratching an itch,” McAndrew told Good Good Good. “We have been programmed through evolution to be fascinated with the behind-the-scenes activity of other people who are socially important to us, so we find it hard to walk away from a juicy story.”
In fact, he said, it’s baked into our DNA.
“In our prehistoric past, those who were clueless about the politics and trustworthiness of those around them were not very socially successful, so we are the descendants of the busybodies who were good at it,” he explained.
However, McAndrew has a few words of wisdom when it comes to gossipping in a healthy way.
“Gossip researchers often make the distinction between ‘good gossip,’ which serves the greater interest of the group (e.g., is one of your co-workers stealing from the company? Is there a sexual predator in our midst?), and ‘bad gossip’ (e.g., spreading lies about a romantic rival), which is transparently selfish and used to denigrate rivals so that the gossiper can get ahead.”
The concept of “healthy gossip” has been backed by multiple studies, including data from Stanford University and the University of California, Riverside.
McAndrew said it’s all about the way we do it.
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“Skillful gossipers do not ‘vent,’” McAndrew advised. “Venting implies a clueless blabbermouth who indiscriminately shares private information with anyone who will listen.”
McAndrew said the distinction comes down to who you’re talking to.
“Most of the time, gossip needs to be shared with the group or individuals who are most affected by it, and I believe that usually means people inside your social circle,” he said. “The gossip will not be nearly as interesting if it is about someone who does not matter much to the listener.”
Gossip also has the potential to strengthen bonds in those social circles.
“Sharing information with another person is a sign of trust, because it signals that you believe that that individual will not use the information in a harmful way,” McAndrew said. “And such trust creates bonds between individuals and increases the cohesiveness of groups.”
That said, McAndrew cautioned against people being tightlipped in every social circle, or else others might find it hard to be vulnerable with them in exchange.
“Becoming a holier-than-thou individual who refuses to participate in the sharing of social information tells others that you do not trust them and that you do not wish to be part of their social network. This will not help you win any popularity contests,” McAndrew said.
And when it comes to the method of gossipping, McAndrew said that keeping it offline is preferred.
“Gossiping in person is probably safer,” the professor noted. “Our caveman brains are unprepared for the speed at which information can travel over social media, and it is impossible to put the genie back in the bottle once the ‘send’ button is pushed.”
It’s advice backed by Christopher M. Elias, an assistant professor of history at the American University in Cairo.
“At its best, gossip helps us form essential social connections and strengthen those bonds,” Elias wrote for Psyche. “At its worst, it enables us to embrace a disconnected, self-involved worldview.”
“Social media is somewhat similar: We often marvel at its connective power, the way it allows us to build communities with those who are half a world away,” he added. “But it is also a medium that can just as easily promote distance.”
“The combination of the two – gossip and social media – is bringing out the worst elements in both,” he explained. “Good gossip still exists — but social media is not helping us participate in it. True community-building is best accomplished offline, even if the topic of conversation is idle talk.”
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Header image via OurWhisky Foundation / Unsplash
