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Explaining the evolution of gossip.

ABSTRACT: Gossip, the exchange of personal information about absent third parties, is ubiquitous in human societies. However, the evolution of gossip remains a puzzle. The current article proposes an evolutionary cycle of gossip and uses an agent-based evolutionary game-theoretic model to assess it. We argue that the evolution of gossip is the joint consequence of its reputation dissemination and selfishness deterrence functions. Specifically, the dissemination of information about individuals' reputations leads more individuals to condition their behavior on others' reputations. This induces individuals to behave more cooperatively toward gossipers in order to improve their reputations. As a result, gossiping has an evolutionary advantage that leads to its proliferation. The evolution of gossip further facilitates these two functions of gossip and sustains the evolutionary cycle.

SUBMITTER: Pan X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10907321 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Explaining the evolution of gossip.

Pan Xinyue X Hsiao Vincent V Nau Dana S DS Gelfand Michele J MJ

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20240220 9

Gossip, the exchange of personal information about absent third parties, is ubiquitous in human societies. However, the evolution of gossip remains a puzzle. The current article proposes an evolutionary cycle of gossip and uses an agent-based evolutionary game-theoretic model to assess it. We argue that the evolution of gossip is the joint consequence of its reputation dissemination and selfishness deterrence functions. Specifically, the dissemination of information about individuals' reputation ...[more]

PMID: 38377206

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