Reports Reveals That Venting Can Strengthen Friendships – But It’s Risky
A new study from UCLA’s Department of Psychology reveals that venting about mutual acquaintances can significantly improve one’s social standing.
Conducted by Dr. Jaimie Krems and her team, the study involved 1,700 participants who were observed in scenarios where one person complained about a mutual acquaintance to another. The findings show that individuals who vented about others were consistently rated more favorably by listeners compared to the targets of their complaints. Participants who heard someone vent were more inclined to favor the venter, and even be more willing to allocate time and resources to them.
However, the study also cautions that venting is not without risks. It can backfire if listeners perceive the venter as aggressive or manipulative, or find the venting to be unfair and baseless. Naturally, there can also be downsides to this, especially in complex social circles. Venting inherently weakens other people’s relationships with the target of the venting, and can lead to awkward situations when venting about a friend of a friend.
While it might not be a nice truth to hear, this study makes it clear that venting is a valuable social tool, and an effective one for strengthening bonds with specific people. This elevates venting from being an emotional outlet to a core part of how friendships can be formed, but also shows the added risks that venting can pose on both sides – as an emotional outlet and as a way of subtly manipulating others.