Gossiping has a bad reputation and most people don’t want anyone else to know that they do it, but new research suggests doing it with your partner may be good for your relationship. A study from the University of California, Riverside, finds that couples who gossip together are more deeply bonded and happier in their romance.
“Whether or not we want to admit it, everyone gossips,” says study author Chandler Spahr. “Gossip is ubiquitous.” And that might actually be a good thing, according to the study.
- Researchers tracked 76 romantic couples using a portable listening device to passively record snippets of their daily conversations.
- It only captured about 14% of their daily talking, and found that they spent about 38 minutes a day gossiping, with about 29 minutes of them gossiping with their romantic partners.
- And it turns out, all the couples who gossiped more frequently reported higher levels of personal happiness and better relationship quality.
So, why does spilling the tea or talking about other people help couples feel closer and happy? Researchers say gossiping may help with emotional intimacy and build trust. They explain, “It may reinforce the perception that partners are ‘on the same team,’ enhancing feelings of connectedness, trust and other positive relationship qualities, as well as contributing to overall well-being.”
Source: NY Post