Psychology
fromPsychology Today
3 weeks ago3 Bad Habits That Can Be Good for You
Many behaviors labeled as bad habits are adaptive strategies that, when moderated, support social learning, group cohesion, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.
The report, titled Explaining the Evolution of Gossip, clarifies how gossip has evolved to help social groups function, by disseminating useful information about their members and fostering cooperation. Gossip is a ubiquitous feature of human communication, explains psychologist and psychotherapist Barbara Zorrilla. From a social-psychological perspective, gossip helps reinforce social norms what's appropriate and what's not which is why gossip is often used to socially sanction people who don't comply with these norms, she details.