研究:散播流言能让人平静 有益健康

　　Prof Robb Willer, one of the researchers, said: "Spreading information about the person whom they had seen behave badly tended to make people feel better, quieting the frustration that drove their gossip."

　　其中一位研究人员罗伯 维勒教授说：“散播有关行为不端的人的信息会让人们感觉好一些，抚平那种促使他们去散播流言的挫败感。”

　　The study also showed that passing on rumours could help us monitor people who behave badly and prevent each other from being exploited by malicious individuals, Prof Willer added.

　　维勒教授补充说，研究还显示，散播流言能帮助人们监督那些行为不端的人，并防止大家受到恶人的利用。

　　In an online trust game where players could lower their chances of winning by warning others about cheaters, the threat of being the subject of bad gossip encouraged people to play more fairly.

　　在一个网上信任游戏中，如果玩家向他人告发作弊者，作弊者获胜的机会就会降低，害怕成为不利流言的主角的威胁鼓励人们更公平地玩游戏。

　　Prof Willer said: "Gossip gets a bad rap, but we're finding evidence that it plays a critical role in the maintenance of social order."

　　维勒教授说：“尽管人们对流言怨声很多，但我们找到了证据证明它在维持社会秩序方面也发挥着重要的作用。”