A new study, controversially, suggests that gossiping about other people may actually be good for self-esteem as it allows us to compare ourselves to others.
The researchers from the University of Groningen (Holland), headed by Prof. Elena Martinescu, found that hearing positive and negative gossip about other people boosts self-reflection and self-evaluation.
They, however, warned that stories about others need to be treated with a ‘critical attitude’ about the impact it may have.