What Do Teachers Gossip about in the Teachers Room - Annotated Bibliography Example

What Do Teachers Gossip about in the Teacher’s Room? A Literature Review al Affiliation What Do Teachers Gossip about in the Teacher’s Room? A Literature Review Gossip at the places of work Farley, S. D., Timme, D. R., & Hart, J. W. (2010). On Coffee Talk and Break-Room Chatter: Perceptions of Women Who Gossip in the Workplace. In this article, the authors advance the argument that gossip at the workplace can be used to measure the success of organizational communication after some change. Gossip can also be used to advance ones opinion on a particular issue. According to the authors, gossip at the work place should not be dismissed as idle talk but can be used to communicate certain information, enhance perceptions of esteem, power or status and also to enforce group norms. This article gives another perspective on gossip and that it should not just be taken in the negative light but can also be used to develop and enhance social working relationships. Gossip can also be used to develop and maintain social relationships by looking at the way gossipers are perceived by the rest of the workers. ÇAĞLAR, Ç., UĞURLU, C. T., & GÜNEŞ, H. (2013). TEACHERS VIEWS CONCERNING THE FUNCTION OF GOSSIPS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS. In this journal article, the authors feel that there are various discourses that come up in an organization in form of gossip and that cannot be evaded as they are as a result of interaction. Teachers in schools gossip the administration, fellow staff members as well as the students. The authors feel that although the word gossip gives a negative connotation, it can have positive effects as the persons concerned can align their ways in a way that all will be comfortable. Gossip can have a negative and positive effect. It is through gossip that teachers identify the weaknesses of a student and thus come up with a way of assisting the student. This journal article is relevant to my research as it gives an insight into the reason the teachers gossip in their room. Luna, A., & Shih Yung, C. (2013). DRIVERS FOR WORKPLACE GOSSIP: AN APPLICATION OF THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR. According to Luna, even through people feel that it is irrational to communicate at work in informal ways, in the current work set up due to human interactions is inevitable. Even though it is inevitable, it could injure the morale of the colleague or person forming the subject of the gossip, or create mistrust among colleagues. This is detrimental to the organization. According to Luna, the source of the information mainly spreads gossip to get the attention of other people and enhance their self-image. In the school set up, it is often a person in a lower position gossiping a person in a lower position so as to feel good about themselves and try to show that the other person is incompetent. Only positive gossip would work to boost one’s reputation. Yao, B., Scott, G. G., McAleer, P., ODonnell, P. J., & Sereno, S. C. (2014). Familiarity with Interest Breeds Gossip: Contributions of Emotion, Expectation, and Reputation. In this article, the authors argue that gossip is a social behavior that is present in all organizations. Further, it is an important tool for managing the social dynamics at the work place. It can be used to communicate unwritten norms in an organization and create social ties in a group of people. Gossip is also used to make comparisons between individuals to enhance the status of an individual. Another argument advanced in this article is that the receivers of the information will show interest in the information if the subject is familiar to them and has an influence in their lives. In the school setting, mainly it is on information that affects the welfare of the teachers and the students and their relationship with the management. Altunta, S., Altun, Ö. Ş., & Akyil, R. Ç. (2014). The nurses form of organizational communication: What is the role of gossip? The authors state that gossip as a form of informal communication in an organization can be used to either praise or blame others. Further, gossip can be used to share important or valuable information in an organization. Mostly, this channel is used when the formal structures of conveying information are dysfunctional and information is being hidden from other members of the organization. It also creates a sense of belonging among a group of people in an organization and passes historical information about an organization to those who do not know about it. However, the authors feel that if gossip is not handled properly, it can get out of proportion and affect those who are the target of the information negatively in all set ups including a school set up. Psst--spread the word--gossiping is good for you. (2004). This article makes an assessment on gossiping by nurses in their place of work. In this article, it is not wrong to whine and gossip a person so long as it is not done in a negative light. I interpret this to mean than if it can get the person fair treatment then it is not wrong so long as the information is true. Waddington, K. (2005). Using diaries to explore the characteristics of work-related gossip: Methodological considerations from exploratory multi method research. According to Waddington, there are times when gossip as a method of interpersonal and organizational communication is inevitable. The authors feel that gossip is at times necessary although people take it in a negative perspective and often describe it as women talk. Gossip according to this article is also a method of inquiry into factors that influence the social organization of work structure that would otherwise remain hidden. As a method of social bonding, gossip at the place of work is used to relax the mind of an individual and possibly let off the steam in regard to an occurrence. Gossip can therefore have positive results depending on how the information goes round to other people in the organization and also depending on whether that information is true of false. Richardson, R. (2014). Gossip in the work place: a right or a privilege. In this article, the author discusses a case where Laurus Technical Institute dismissed an employee for violating a no gossip policy. When the employee challenged the dismissal, the court found that the policy infringed on the rights of the employees to freely share information among themselves. The author argues that such a policy infringes on the constitutional rights of the employees to express themselves freely. However, this right should not be abused by taking too much time and turning invasive. It is therefore clear that work place gossip cannot be limited and the employers can only devise other ways of minimizing its impact and the amount of time spent. Conein, B. (2011). Gossip, conversation and group size: language as a bonding mechanism. Conein states that gossip is inevitable and contributes to growing ties whether through direct and indirect contacts. The indirect contact could be by hearing about a person from another person which is also a form of gossip. Further, language is the means through which verbal ties are created through virtual networks. In the school setting, this is the same case that happens. In the teachers room, it is passing information to one person about another who is not present and thereby create a virtual bond between the person present during the conversation and the one who is not present. This can be a student, fellow staff member or even a member of the administration. The subject of the conversation could be a matter of concern to those present and that still affects a person who is not present. For example, the discussion could revolve around the need for improved terms from the school management or a student’s performance. What the subjects of the gossip perceive the source of the information Farley, S. D. (2011). Is gossip power? The inverse relationships between gossip, power, and likability. According to Farley, as much as the perception on gossip has changed and people now appreciate gossip, there is still the way other people think about the source of the information. Most people create impressions about the source of the information and not the target the person bringing the information would love people to think about. People are more skeptical about such people especially if the information being relayed is false. In the teacher’s rooms, if one staff member is used to badmouthing another about their behavior when they are not present, people get to appoint and think lowly of that person. Kurland, N. B., & Pelled, L. H. (2000). PASSING THE WORD: TOWARD A MODEL OF GOSSIP AND POWER IN THE WORKPLACE. The authors argue that gossip is part of the informal organization in a firm. In the organizational setting, work related gossip is allowed to some extent. This is the gossip that related to a person’s behavior at work. What matters is the type of information being given and the way it is given. If a person gives negative information about a colleague at work, others feel that the person can also go round spreading rumors about them to the other colleagues too. To those listening to the source, they feel that such a person is a risk to their career as they would give negative information about them that would lead to loss of jobs. The gossiper is therefore evaded by the rest so long as he or she gives negative information about other in all organizations including the school set up. Clegg, S. R., & van Iterson, A. (2009). Dishing the dirt: gossiping in organizations. According to the authors of this article, gossip works against the person whose information is going round and that according to them is unethical of the source of information. Business ethics demand that every person in an organization respects the privacy of another and so the person gossiping is infringing on the privacy of their target. The person gossip is not morally upright according to the authors. Of concern to the authors of this article is the effect that the information has on the target which could even lead to resignation. The school administration can come up with ways of curbing this by creating boundaries on what people discuss and impose sanctions when these boarders are crossed. Cuonzo, M. A. (2008). Gossip: An Intention-Based Account. Cuonzo argues that gossip is deceptive and even though people today try to point at its possible benefits, it does not make gossiping a moral behavior. She feels that gossip is immoral because the source of the information would not say the same things if the target person were present. She further argues that gossip is meant to sooth the ears of the hearer and cannot thus be true. This is so in most instances and so long as there is an aspect of fear should the target come to know about the information, it portrays the source of the information as a deceptive person who takes pleasure in spreading rumors about other people. The effects of gossip Luna, A. L., Garcia, D. C., Shih Yung, C., & Jackson, S. (2013). CAN "TIGHT" GROUPS AT WORK BE DETRIMENTAL? A THEORETICAL VIEW OF GOSSIP FROM THE NETWORK TIE STRENGTH AND DENSITY PERSPECTIVE. In this article, the authors focus on gossip as a means of social mechanism and its effects in an organization. They state that gossip can be used as a means of social control to spread information informally about a person among the agents. The authors further adduce that gossip maintains the social structure in a group as it can be used to state the public opinion about the way a particular person does things. Gossip can also be used to attack a person’s behavior for rectification where other means to sanction the person fail. Gossip is thus important in some aspects where it acts as a warning to other people against free riders in an organization. Gossip is thus a medium of storage of information about an individual’s behavior. Ellwardt, L., Wittek, R., & Wielers, R. (2012). Talking About the Boss: Effects of Generalized and Interpersonal Trust on Workplace Gossip. Gossip can either have a negative or positive effect in an organization and can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of management in an organization according to Ellwardt and Wttek. If the staff members gossip a person in the management, it can be an indication that the staff members have low trust and are less friendly to the person who is the subject of the gossip. It can also indicate that the interaction between the management and the staff is not frequent. By assessing the information going round in an organization, the management can decide to reevaluate their ways and become available to the other staff members as they maintain their respect. In the school set up, it can be an indication of what the teachers feel about the management and what needs improvement. Kulik, C. T., Bainbridge, H. J., & Cregan, C. (2008). KNOWN BY THE COMPANY WE KEEP: STIGMA-BY-ASSOCIATION EFFECTS IN THE WORKPLACE. At the work place, colleagues develop relationships that may either be appreciated or fail to be appreciated by the colleagues. The colleagues view these form of relationships according to their effect in the organization. Kulik, Bainbridge and Cregan feel that if a person in a particular organization is fond of gossip, the other colleagues tend to stigmatize them. This stigmatization can spill over to persons who do not possess the trait, but associate with the person with this attribute. This stigmatization has the effect of disrupting the working system of a person and thus may be a hindrance to positive appraisals as well as barring opportunities for promotion at work. When this happens in the teachers’ room, it can affect how a teacher delivers in class and it may affect the performance of the students. Cole, J., & Scrivener, H. (2013). Short Term Effects of Gossip Behavior on Self-Esteem. According to Cole and Scrivener, gossip can be good for the esteem of the person who spreads the information. Often, gossipers are disliked but it could also elevate the status of the person gossiping in a particular group. This happens where through the person a group is able to identify the black sheep and free riders. The authors state that this is only short term and too much of it will affect the way others feel about the gossiper. Eventually, they may tend to shun the person leading to low self-esteem of the person. Those listening to the gossip feel that the person gossiping is only doing so to feel good about them. In the school set up, fellow teachers may shun the gossip and thereby affect their esteem. Having low self-esteem affects the delivery of a teacher who will record negative performance. Hess, N. H., & Hagen, E. H. (2006). Psychological Adaptations for Assessing Gossip Veracity. The effect that gossip has in a working environment depends on the recipient of the information according to the authors of this article. The authors further state that the recipients of the information should be able to discern between important and less important gossip. They should assess its veracity so as not to judge the target by hearsay. There are people who generally are not interested in gossip especially when it is negative and will thus not take attention. To assess the veracity, one should be keen about the source of the information and when it comes from multiple sources it could be true and affect the organization. Kieffer, C. C. (2013). Rumors And Gossip As Forms Of Bullying: Sticks And Stones? In this article the author appreciates the fact that gossip does not only affect children but also adults who are subjects of gossip at the place of work. Gossip and rumors make the working environment hostile for the target. According to the author, the effect could be more damaging than physical violence on a person. As it goes round, new versions of the same story come up everyday which leads to distortions of information which has a negative effect on the person affected. It creates discomfort and lack of trust in the work environment for the target person. Gossip in my opinion should only concern an individual when it carries negative information. Szekfü, B., & Szvetelszky, Z. (2005). Three Degrees of Inclusion: the Gossip-Effect in Human Networks. According to the authors, gossip has a social value in that it avoids direct confrontations between individuals. It also shows the thinking of a group of people as they respond to the gossip. The author states that when information is distributed among many people, then it may stop becoming gossip and be regarded as a piece of information. According to this author, gossip can spread beyond the workplace but be of the same content. It thus affects human networks as the information is spread through interactions even with people unknown to e subject of the gossip. References Altunta, S., Altun, Ö. Ş., & Akyil, R. Ç. (2014). The nurses form of organizational communication: What is the role of gossip?. Contemporary Nurse: A Journal For The Australian Nursing Profession, 48(1), 109-116. doi:10.5172/conu.2014.48.1.109 ÇAĞLAR, Ç., UĞURLU, C. T., & GÜNEŞ, H. (2013). TEACHERS VIEWS CONCERNING THE FUNCTION OF GOSSIPS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS. Electronic Journal Of Social Sciences, 12(45), 1-16. Clegg, S. R., & van Iterson, A. (2009). Dishing the dirt: gossiping in organizations. Culture & Organization, 15(3/4), 275-289. doi:10.1080/14759550903119293 Cole, J., & Scrivener, H. (2013). Short Term Effects of Gossip Behavior on Self-Esteem. Current Psychology, 32(3), 252-260. doi:10.1007/s12144-013-9176-3 Conein, B. (2011). Gossip, conversation and group size: language as a bonding mechanism. Irish Journal Of Sociology, 19(1), 116-131. Cuonzo, M. A. (2008). Gossip: An Intention-Based Account. Journal Of Social Philosophy, 39(1), 131-140. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9833.2007.00415.x Ellwardt, L., Wittek, R., & Wielers, R. (2012). Talking About the Boss: Effects of Generalized and Interpersonal Trust on Workplace Gossip. Group & Organization Management, 37(4), 521-549. doi:10.1177/1059601112450607 Farley, S. D. (2011). Is gossip power? The inverse relationships between gossip, power, and likability. European Journal Of Social Psychology, 41(5), 574-579. doi:10.1002/ejsp.821 Farley, S. D., Timme, D. R., & Hart, J. W. (2010). On Coffee Talk and Break-Room Chatter: Perceptions of Women Who Gossip in the Workplace. Journal Of Social Psychology, 150(4), 361-368. Hess, N. H., & Hagen, E. H. (2006). Psychological Adaptations for Assessing Gossip Veracity. Human Nature, 17(3), 337-354. Kieffer, C. C. (2013). Rumors And Gossip As Forms Of Bullying: Sticks And Stones?..Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 33(2), 90-104. doi:10.1080/07351690.2013.764697 Kulik, C. T., Bainbridge, H. J., & Cregan, C. (2008). KNOWN BY THE COMPANY WE KEEP: STIGMA-BY-ASSOCIATION EFFECTS IN THE WORKPLACE. Academy Of Management Review, 33(1), 216-230. doi:10.5465/AMR.2008.27752765 Kurland, N. B., & Pelled, L. H. (2000). PASSING THE WORD: TOWARD A MODEL OF GOSSIP AND POWER IN THE WORKPLACE. Academy Of Management Review, 25(2), 428-438. doi:10.5465/AMR.2000.3312928 Luna, A., & Shih Yung, C. (2013). DRIVERS FOR WORKPLACE GOSSIP: AN APPLICATION OF THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR. Journal Of Organizational Culture, Communications & Conflict, 17(1), 115-129 Psst--spread the word--gossiping is good for you. (2004). Practice Nurse, 27(2), 7 Richardson, R. (2014). Gossip in the work place: a right or a privilege. Illinois Business Law Journal, 37(2) 34-38. Szekfü, B., & Szvetelszky, Z. (2005). Three Degrees of Inclusion: the Gossip-Effect in Human Networks. AIP Conference Proceedings, 776(1), 308-313. doi:10.1063/1.1985397 Waddington, K. (2005). Using diaries to explore the characteristics of work-related gossip: Methodological considerations from exploratory multimethod research. Journal Of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 78(2), 221-236. doi:10.1348/096317905X408 17 Yao, B., Scott, G. G., McAleer, P., ODonnell, P. J., & Sereno, S. C. (2014). Familiarity with Interest Breeds Gossip: Contributions of Emotion, Expectation, and Reputation. Plos ONE, 9(8), 1-6. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0104916 Read More