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Gossip and the Self
Author(s) -
WATSON DAVID C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2011.00772.x
Subject(s) - gossip , clarity , locus of control , psychology , viewpoints , social psychology , conversation , structural equation modeling , self monitoring , communication , statistics , mathematics , art , biochemistry , chemistry , visual arts
The relationship between self‐reported gossip, evaluative conversation about other people, and the self was examined with 243 university students completing questionnaires measuring gossip from 2 theoretical viewpoints: as an individual‐difference characteristic, or as having social functions. The self was examined using several perspectives: self‐concept clarity, self‐efficacy, locus of control, and self‐monitoring. Using structural equation modeling, gossip was related to external locus of control, high‐self‐monitoring, low self‐concept clarity, and low self‐efficacy. The final model is that high self‐monitoring and locus of control mediate the relationship between self‐clarity/efficacy and gossip. The study demonstrates the important role of self‐monitoring and locus of control in gossip and that negative gossip may be associated with a more externalized, unclear sense of self.