@krnel much thanks for deciphering ins and outs of a habit regarded often as a product of specific milieu. Indeed, Davis’s study opens new vistas by reforming the traditional notions attached to gossip-making. To me, as an interpersonal skill that is under persistent stream of evolution, gossip has much broader a range of factors. Admittedly, realizing a competitive edge overshadows almost every instance of what is commonly seen as bragging, tying it to the quest for mate-win remains debatable as competition spans over much wider landscape in human life. Sports, war, and politics among others are few like instances.
Looking forward to hear more on it from your side