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Gossip helps us distinguish friend from foe, therefore protecting us from harm.
"We use gossip as a way of bonding," the Daily Mail quoted psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos as saying.
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"Who we like, who we don't like - it's a form of "you and me together," she added.
"In fact, the best way to get people to bond is to get them to decide who they dislike. It's like having a secret - you both know you're doing something bad, so you have a connection. It's a form of sisterhood," she explained.