An attributional process model of workplace gossip

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Social Psychology
• Communication Studies

Background:

• Workplace gossip is prevalent but its sender consequences are understudied.
• Understanding recipient responses is key to assessing gossip's impact on senders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the consequences of workplace gossip for the gossip sender.
• To develop a model explaining how gossip recipients' attributions shape their responses.
• To identify factors influencing gossip sender outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Developed a typology of gossip interpretation patterns.
• Applied attribution theory to create a multilevel process model of workplace gossip.
• Examined gossip valence, work-relatedness, credibility, and target status.

Main Results:

• Gossip recipient attributions mediate the relationship between gossip characteristics and sender outcomes.
• Sender motives and locus of causality influence gossip reciprocation and perceived trustworthiness.
• Gossip can lead to cooperation or social undermining of the sender.

Conclusions:

• The social consequences of gossip for senders are contingent on recipient interpretations.
• Gossip sender benefits or detriments depend on gossip features and contextual factors influencing attributions.
• Future research should consider recipient perspectives in workplace gossip studies.