Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1833 Kıral, E. & Durdu, I. (2021). The relationship between tendency to gossip and organizational commitment. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET), 8(3). 1833-1856. Received : 24.01.2021 Revised version received : 26.04.2021 Accepted : 28.04.2021 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TENDENCY TO GOSSIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT (Research article) Correspondence: Erkan Kiral 0000-0002-1120-7619 Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Turkey erkankiral74@gmail.com Ilknur Durdu 0000-0001-5330-1665 Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Turkey t.i.durdu35@gmail.com Biodata s: Erkan Kiral is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Administration of Faculty of Education in Adnan Menderes University in Aydin, Turkey. His research interests are educational administration, organizational behavior, excellent leadership, excellent schools, teachers and leaders. lknur Durdu is an EFL teacher for the Ministry of Education, Turkey and also a PhD student at Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Graduate School of Educational Sciences. Her research interests are educational administration, organizational behavior and leadership. Copyright © 2014 by International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET). ISSN: 2148-225X. Material published and so copyrighted may not be published elsewhere without written permission of IOJET. mailto:erkankiral74@gmail.com mailto:t.i.durdu35@gmail.com Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1834 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TENDENCY TO GOSSIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT Erkan Kiral erkan.kiral@adu.edu.tr Ilknur Durdu t.i.durdu35@gmail.com Abstract The study was figured in the form of relational survey model on the purpose of putting forth the relationship between the tendency to gossip of the teachers at public secondary schools and their organizational commitment levels. It was conducted with randomly selected 159 volunteer teachers. The data were collected by the Tendency to Gossip scale developed by Nevo, Nevo and Derech-Zehavi (1994), and the Organizational Commitment Scale adapted to Turkish by Baysal and Paksoy (1999). The data were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The results revealed that teachers mostly display achievement in tendency to gossip and affective commitment. It was found out that there was a significant difference according to teachers' age and seniority in tendency to gossip and seniority and teachers' numbers in organizational commitment. There was a low and medium relationship between tendency to gossip and organizational commitment, there was the highest relationship between physical appearance in tendency to gossip and continuance commitment in organizational commitment. "Physical appearance" and "sublimated gossip" dimensions had affected teachers' continuance commitment. Keywords: Tendency, teacher, gossip, commitment, secondary schools 1. Introduction From their birth, people have found themselves in a life cycle in the organization. In time, even the organizations where people have been have differentiated, necessity to the organization has never finished. Human beings, who need organizations to have a better quality of life cycle, need to interact with others in their organization. In their organization, people have needed to share some information for either their jobs or socialization. Actually, in order to supply with those necessities, people has preferred some communication channels. These communication channels can be formal or informal. One of informal communication channels people have used in their speech is gossip. Gossip is a significant phenomenon which affects people in both organizational life and their private lives negatively or positively. Especially gossip has appeared from different reasons such as socialization and getting information from organization. It can be negative or positive effects that gossip has showed itself differently in organization. Taking due precautions is crucial to appear the effects, to benefit from positive effects, to get rid of negative effects. Whereas gossip has commonly felt in work environment, there is scarcely any research which has showed the effects on employees. mailto:erkan.kiral@adu.edu.tr mailto:t.i.durdu35@gmail.com Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1835 When research on gossip is analyzed, gossip has been defined differently. In these definitions, some researchers (Fine & Rosnow, 1978; Grosser, Lopez-Kidwell & Labianca, 2010 etc.) have discussed about gossip negatively whereas some researchers (Litman & Pezzo, 2005; Michelson & Mouly, 2004 etc.) have discussed about it positively. On one hand, gossip has included such positive definitions as informal, ordinary, comfort talk and humors which on other people and including not proven trueness (Foster, 2004; Kurland & Pelled, 2000); a way of the information exchange and informal talk even the information is totally true or complete (Kuo, Chang, Quinton, Lu & Lee, 2015); the most enjoyable way of learning something about other people (Litman & Pezzo, 2005); the way of information exchange which save the group solidarity, strengthen social relationships and closeness and help people socialize (Michelson & Mouly, 2004); the techniques of one’s reflecting himself/herself, learning of other people, increasing self-compassion and the ability of sharing evaluations (Dodig & Anokhina, 2008). On the other hand, gossip has included such negative definitions as speech on people’s negative aspects who are not in that environment (Fine & Rosnow, 1978; Jaeger, Skleder & Rosnow, 1994); generally, a destructive activity appearing generally everywhere (Grosser, Lopez-Kidwell & Labianca, 2010); a socially undesirable action (Sharpersteen, 1987). As is seen, gossip is a phenomenon which includes both negative and positive situations in. In that case, gossip can considerably be a way of effective and useful information exchange in an organization although it has been thought as destructive and undesirable phenomenon. It is true that gossip has offered various information about others and has provided much knowledge interaction in organization. In general, organizational gossip can be defined as the informal sharing of unproven, positive and negative information based on rumors that concern the organization and its employees in an atmosphere of conversation between individuals. Generally, among studies that researchers have done, it has been revealed that employees have spent 14 % of their coffee break with gossip, 66 % of common speech among employees has included social matters related to others (Cole & Dalton, 2009). While some organization members have ignored organizational benefits and gossiped for personal benefits, some organization members have ignored personal benefits and gossiped for organizational benefits. For whatever reason gossip has been made, it can be said that in modern organizational management, gossip is crucial for organization and its employees, that gossip results from various reasons as well as various effects (Kniffin & Wilson, 2010). Organizational gossip can serve in various situations in organization. In fact, gossip has generally provided cultural learning (Baumeister, Zhang & Vohs, 2004) and has strengthened organization’s adaptation and challenge mechanisms (Cox, 1970). Gossip, which is an indispensable item for organization, has been classified as negative- positive gossips (Chang & Kuo, 2020; Ellwardt, Labianca & Wittek, 2012; Ferrari, 2015; Kurland & Pelled, 2000; Robbins & Karan, 2019); personal-organizational gossips (Luna & Chou, 2013); physical appearance, social information, achievement and sublimated gossip (Nevo, Nevo & Zehavi, 1993). In this study, physical appearance, social information, achievement and sublimated gossip dimensions, which Nevo, Nevo and Zehavi have scrutinized gossip in relatively more detail, have been examined (1993). Generally, physical appearance dimension has included speech related to others’ general and physical appearance, clothes and posture. Achievement dimension has included people’s speech related to other’s success, degrees, position in their career and popularity. Social information dimension has included speech related to people’s relationship with others, people’s location position in society. Sublimated gossip dimension has included the situation that are somehow Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1836 changed, are adopted from society and are not thought as gossip and has become a part of natural life. In sublimated gossip, spoken issue is actually is a gossip but it has not been thought as gossip due to person’s position in society. Generally, hidden and banalized gossip such as reading tabloid magazine, speaking celebrities’ educational levels has been discussed. It has been revealed by research that gossip create negative feelings in organization (Foster, 2004; Luna & Chou, 2013). However, it has needed that gossip has been associated with many terms which constitute organization’s basis in organization. Thus, gossip’s content and sphere of influence can be clearly seen in organization. In fact, one of gossip’s important effects has showed itself in person’s commitment to the organization. While positive effects have increased person’s commitment to the organization, negative effects have decreased person’s commitment to the organization. Employee’s commitment to the organization have had a vital place in the organization. Thus, while organizations have made an effort to supply with many employee’s necessities because of employee’s commitment to the organization, they have made an effort to reach the aims in their organization, too. Negative gossips can prevent from reaching the organizational aims by revealing undesirable conflicts among employees. Besides positive gossips can provide employees for supporting each other and for coming true both personal and organizational aims in a short time. Organizational members’ commitment for both each other, leader and organization’s aim and targets can be affected by many situations. Indeed, gossip can be discussed as an important phenomenon for employees’ commitment to their organization. When it has been thought that people have spent most of their lives aggregately and in group and that people have had different commitment, it has needed to realize how much organizational commitment is important for the organization. Being defined the variables which have an impact on commitment, being revealed it and being eliminated is important for the organization. Because it is inevitable that the weaknesses which happen because of various variables in organizational commitment have result in undesirable results for organization and its member. Organizational commitment has been differently defined by researchers as relative desire which is about a member’s existence in an organization and him/her identification with the organization (Mowday, Steers & Porter, 1982); a strong desire to maintain organization membership, gathering a strong faith to accept organization’s aims and targets, volunteering for making an extra ordinary effort on behalf of their organization (Swailes, 2002); essentially inter mutation process between an organization and its member (Balci, 2003) and the reflection of employees’ psychological needs’ and a psychological tie which provide for connecting the organization and its members (Meyer & Allen, 1997). Organizational commitment has been differently dimensioned by different researchers (Meyer & Allen, 1991; Etzioni, 1961; Kanter, 1968; O’Reilly & Chatman, 1986 etc.) Meyer and Allen (1991) have analyzed organizational commitment such sub-dimensions as affective commitment based on desire and willingness; continuance commitment based on costs and normative commitment based on necessity. Organizational commitment dimensions which are generally accepted in research can be defined as follow. Affective commitment has been defined as person’s connecting to organization’s aims and targets, his/her roles in organization’s targets and aims, organization’s values for the sake of organization (Buchanan, 1974); member’s interiorization of organizational commitment with pleasure (Allen & Meyer, 1997); a member’s emotional tie to a group (Kanter, 1968); a person’s desire to existence in a particular organization and identification to that organization (Mowday, Steers & Porter, 1979; Porter, Crampon & Smith, 1976; Porter, Steers, Mowday & Boulian, 1974) and a tool which increases understanding of employees’ interests in ideal and reinforced organizations Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1837 (King, 1996). Continuance commitment has been defined as employees’ continuing to the organization as a necessity and paying attention to negativeness in other words the cost of leaving from organization for employees’ (Allen & Meyer, 1997); perceived costs of employees’ which has encountered because they have left the organization (Cetin, Basim & Aydogan, 2011); being aware of the costs of separation from the organization (Ince & Gul 2005); person’s continuing to the organization membership because he/she thinks the costs of separation from organization will be high (Deliveli & Kiral, 2020). Normative commitment has been defined as employees’ feeling of obligation related to continuing to stay in an organization (Meyer & Allen, 1991); employees’ perceiving to show commitment to the organization as a duty (Kiral & Sucicegi, 2017); creating loyalty of experiences based on social factors and existence of suitable work environment to the employers or commitment which create on the purpose of being beneficial to the organization with the feeling of indebtedness in consequence of acquired general outcomes (Ceylan & Dinc, 2008). When literature has been analyzed, it is possible to reach such many research on organizational commitment as the level of organizational commitment, Meyer and Allen (1991), Allen and Meyer (1990); affective and continuance commitment Wasti (2002); measuring organizational commitment, Cook and Wall (1980) and Swailes (2002); teachers’ organizational commitment, Celep (2000); the relationship between school managers’ socialization and organizational commitment, Buchanan (1974); the relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment, Porter, Steers, Mowday and Boulian (1974); the relationship between organizational commitment and burnout, Cetin, Basim and Aydogan (2011); the relationship between organizational commitment and organizational support, Ozdevecioglu (2013); the relationship between school culture and teachers’ school commitment, Kiral and Kacar (2016); the relationship between teachers' perception of school principals' instructional leadership and organizational commitment level, Kiral and Sucicegi (2017). When research on tendency to gossip has been analyzed in literature; it is possible to reach such many research on tendency to gossip as the dimensions of gossip, Nevo, Nevo and Derech-Zehavi (1993); teachers’ views regarding gossip and rumor mechanism, Arabaci, Sungur and Simsek (2012); employees’ perceptions of gossip, Akgeyik (2017); workplace gossip and rumor, Dodig and Anokhima (2008); gossip in organizations, Ellwardt (2011); individual differences in attitudes towards gossip, Litman and Pezzo (2005). Sommerfeld, Krambeck and Milinski (2008) stated that gossip increases trust and reputation among teammates at work and facilitates teamwork. According to Chang and Kuo gossip in the workplace can have positive or negative effects. The gossip of managers can positively or negatively affect the organizational commitment of employees. Moreover, workplace gossip appears important at work as it not only facilitates the exchange of information among employees, but also helps individuals to understand the events and ethics in their workplace (2020). As can be seen, the gossiping of employees in the workplace can be an important variable affecting their organizational commitment. However, within the scope of the examined literature, there is no study examining these two variables together especially in educational organizations. In fact, being revealed the relationship between mentioned variables, offering suggestions for policy makers and implementers can contribute to increasing the quality of education. Thus, the aim of this research is to be revealed the relationship between teachers’ tendency to gossip and their organizational commitment. The questions below have searched for answer in parallel with this purpose: (1) What is the level of teachers’ tendency to gossip? (2) Does teachers’ tendency to gossip differentiate from various variables? Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1838 (3) What is the level of teachers’ organizational commitment? (4) Does teachers’ organizational commitment differentiate from various variables? (5) Is there a significant relationship between teachers’ tendency to gossip and organizational commitment? (6) Does teachers’ tendency to gossip predict the organizational commitment? 2. Method This section provides information about research model, population and sample, data collection tools and data analysis. 2.1. Research Model The study utilized correlational survey model (Balci, 2020; Karasar, 2020). Change in various variables and the relationship between organizational commitment and teachers’ tendency to gossip has been revealed by the analysis of conducted scales and personal information form. 2.2. Participants The participants of the study comprised of 1037 secondary school teachers at 31 public secondary schools in Buca district of Izmir province in Turkey (National Education Directorate, [Izmir NED], 2019). Research data were collected in 2018-2019 school year. Since the ethics committee permission was not requested to collect data at that time, the ethics committee permission was not obtained but data tools were filled voluntarily. Using sample size table, the target population which comprised of 1037 teachers were accepted to represent 278 teachers in % 5 tolerance and α= .05 significance level. However, the participants were comprised of 292 teachers by gathering extra % 5 of the sample in consequence of loss in return of scales and problems in scales’ implementing process (Balci, 2020; Can, 2019). 292 volunteer teachers were sent the scale to fill in after giving necessary explanations but 170 were received with because of various reasons (filling missing, not giving scales by saying “I will fill them later”). Out of 170 scales, 11 were extracted and the process continued with the rest 159 forms. Participants of the research were as follows; 70.4 % were female (n=112), 29.6 % were male (n=47); 75.5% were married, (n=120); 24.5 % were single (n=39); 31.4 % were 35 years old and below (n=50); 21.4 % were between 36-40 years old (n=34), 47.2 % were between 41 years old and above (n=75), 89.9 % were undergraduate, 10.1 % were postgraduate; 28.9 % had 10 years of seniority and below (n= 46), 39 % had 11-20 years of seniority (n=62), 32.1 % had 41 years of seniority and above (n=51). The number of teachers in schools has been found as 38.4 % were below 40 (n=61), 28.3 % were between 41-60 (n=45) and 33.3 % were 61 and above (n=53). 2.3. Data Collection Tools In the data collection process, “Personal Information Form”, “Tendency to Gossip Scale (TGS)”, and “Organizational Commitment Scale (OCS)” were used. In Personal Information Form which was developed by the researchers, there were six questions about participants’ Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1839 gender, age, marital status, seniority, educational status and the number of teachers in a school. The information about the scales are given below: 2.3.1. Tendency to gossip scales The tendency to gossip scale by Nevo, Nevo and Derech-Zehavi (1994) is a 7-point scale [Never (1)- Always (7)]. It consists of four sub-scales, each of which has five items, and totally 20 items. A high score on the gossip scale and subscales indicates strong tendecy to gossip. The theoretical range of the score from the scale is 20 to140. In this scale, 2nd, 3rd, 10th, 14th and 20th items belong to “Physical Appearance” sub-scales; 5th, 6th, 11th, 13th and 15th items belong to “Achievement” sub-scales; 7th, 8th, 9th, 16th and 17th items belong to “Social Information” sub-scales and 1st, 4th, 12th, 18th and 19th items belong to “Sublimated Gossip” sub-scales. The researchers have calculated .87 as Cronbach’s Alpha level of the factors and .92 as an inter judge reliability. After necessary permission have been got for “Tendency to Gossip Scale”, this scale has been firstly implemented to teachers in Turkey by this research. Thus, the scale has been translated into Turkish by researchers and language expert (n: 3); evaluation of domain expert has been made for language, content and face validity (n: 5), with the help of suggestions they made, necessary arrangement has been made, the scale has been made confirmatory factor analysis in 4 factors and 20 items in Turkish sample by being held on scale’s theorical structure and original dimensions. However, the scale was used a 5-point Likert scale [I totally do not agree (1)- I totally agree (5)] in Turkish sample for convenience in application. As a result of evaluation which was made, 8 (item 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 13 and 18) items in which t values are not significant (significance level .05 and .01) and error variance is high (.90 and above) have been extracted from the scale in order to get better fit. After Satora-Bentler arrangement and necessary modifications, 3 items in each sub-scale have been left. 12-item-scale has been restructured in Turkish sample and the short form of the scale has been got. First level good fit index of the scale has been found (χ²=83.16; df=47, p=0.00; χ²/df=1.77, SRMR=.067, CFI=.95, IFI=.95, NFI:.92, GFI: .90, RMSEA=.070) and second level good fit index has been found (χ²=83.53; df=49, p=0.00; χ²/df=1.70, SRMR=.068, CFI=.95, IFI=.95, NFI:.91, GFI: .90, RMSEA=.067) (Cokluk, Sekercioglu & Buyukozturk, 2018; Kline, 2005). Factor loads for second level model including tendency to general gossip have been showed in Figure 1: Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1840 Figure 1: Confirmatory factor analysis of tendency to gossip scale in Turkish sample When Figure 1 has been analyzed, it has been shown that obtained values are suitable. Cronbach alfa reliability co-efficient for Tendency to Gossip Scale’s sub-scales have respectively been found for sublimated gossip .61, physical appearance .74, achievement .65 and social information .67 and general scale .82. According to obtained results, it can be said the scale is reliable and valid (Cokluk, Sekercioglu & Buyukozturk, 2018; Tavsancil, 2019). 2.3.2. Organizational commitment scale The organizational commitment scale is a 5-point Likert scale [I totally do not agree (1)- I totally agree (5)]. It consists of three sub-scales, each of which has six items, and totally 18 items. These sub-scales are (1) affective (AC), (2) continuance (CC), (3) normative (NC) commitments. Four items of the scale were coded reversely. The high scores obtained from the scale indicate that the feature of each dimension is high. The scale was adapted to Turkish by Baysal and Paksoy (1999) and it was found reliable and valid. The reliability coefficient was .81 and this scale could be used in three sub-scales for the studies that will be used in Turkey. The scale has been used in many researches on education (Cetin, Basim & Aydogan, 2011; Kiral & Sucicegi, 2017, Ozdevecioglu, 2013 etc.). Thus, in this research, construct validity of the scale has not been made again. Kiral and Suçiçeği (2018) revealed that the Cronbach’s Alpha value for the overall scale was .74 and for the three dimensions between .60-.76. In this research, Cronbach Alpha reliability values were found to vary between .60 and .79 for general scale and the three dimensions of commitment. According to obtained results, it can be said the scale is reliable (Tavsancil, 2019). 2.4. Data Analysis Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used in the data analysis. The demographic characteristics of the teachers collected through the personal information form Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1841 were analyzed with descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages; teachers’ tendency to gossip and organizational commitment levels were analyzed with average and standard deviation, whether tendency to gossip and organizational commitment levels differ significantly according to independent variables (gender, age etc.) were analyzed with parametric difference tests (t-test, ANOVA, LSD test etc.). When the obtained data were evaluated, it was found that the central tendency measures were close to each other (mean, median and mode), and the kurtosis and skewness coefficients were between -1 and +1 (Can, 2019). Pearson Moment’s Product Correlation analysis tests were used for the relationship between teachers’ tendency to gossip and their organizational commitment. The effect of teachers’ tendency to gossip on organizational commitment was tested by multiple regression analysis. The evaluation ranges of both scales were considered as 1.00 - 1.79 very low, 1.80 - 2.59 low, 2.60 - 3.39 medium, 3.40 - 4.19 high and 4.20 - 5.00 very high in the research. 3. Findings Findings of the study are given on the following tables as tendency to gossip, organizational commitment, relationship between them and regression of tendency to gossip on organizational commitment. 3.1. The Findings Regarding Levels of Teachers’ Tendency to Gossip The result of the analysis was summarized on Table 1 related to tendency to gossip. When Table 1 is examined, it can be seen that teachers show achievement as a highest level and respectively sublimated, social information and physical appearance. Teachers’ general tendency to gossip is relatively low. It has been found that teachers’ gender, the number of teachers in school, marital and educational status do not differ significantly, whereas seniority and age differ. Sublimated [F(2,156 ) = 5.104; p<.05], social information [F(2,156 ) = 4.705; p<.05] levels and general scale [F(2,156) = 4.325; p< .05] show a significant difference according to age; while there is not a significant difference according to age variable in physical appearance and achievement. According to multiple comparison test, teachers who are 35 years old and below (M=2.77; Sd=.80) have significantly higher sublimated gossip tendency level than those 41 year and above (M=2.33; Sd=.71); teachers who are 35 years old and below (M=2.51; Sd=.80) have significantly higher social information gossip tendency level than those 41years old and above (M= 2.07; Sd: .73); teachers who are 35 years old and below (M=2.59; Sd=.65) have significantly higher general tendency level to gossip than those 41 years old and above (M=2.27; Sd=.57). According to teachers’ seniority, teachers’ tendency level to gossip do not differ significantly in physical appearance, sublimated, achievement and general scale whereas it differs significantly in social information [F(2,156)= 4.061; p< .05]. According to multiple comparison test, teachers who are 10 years of seniority and below have significantly higher social information tendency level (M=2.51; Sd=.82) than those 21 years of seniority and above (M=2.07; Sd= .73). Table1. Descriptive statistics related to tendency to gossip Variables Dimensions Mean (M) S.dev (Sd) Tendency to Gossip Achievement 2.89 .836 Sublimated Gossip 2.52 .789 Social Information 2.26 .800 Physical Appearance 2.00 .814 General Tendency to Gossip 2.41 .619 Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1842 3.2. The Findings Regarding Teachers’ Organizational Commitment Levels The result of the analysis regarding teachers' organizational commitment level is summarized on Table 2 below. When Table 2 is examined, it is seen that teachers show commitment in affective dimension at the highest level, then continuance and lastly normative dimension in order. Teachers’ general commitment is relatively medium. It has been found that teachers’ gender, age, marital and educational status do not differ significantly whereas seniority and the number of teachers in school differ. According to the number of teachers in school, teachers’ organizational commitment levels do not show significant difference in continuance commitment, but teachers’ affective commitment levels [F(2-156) = 5.692; p< .05], normative commitment levels [F(2-156) = 4.971; p< .05] and general commitment levels [F(2-156) = 5.143; p< .05] show significant difference. According to multiple comparison test, group in which the number of teachers is 61 and above (M= 3.54; Sd= .84) and the number of teachers is 40 and below (M= 3.47; Sd=.89) has significantly higher point than the number of teachers between 41-60 (M= 3.02; Sd= .79) in affective commitment; group in which the number of teachers is 40 and below (M= 3.02; Sd= .80) has significantly higher point than the number of teachers between 41-60 (M= 2.58; Sd= .95) and the number of teachers 61 and above (M= 2.64; Sd= .61) in normative commitment; the number of teachers 40 and below (M= 3.03; Sd= .55) has significantly higher point than the number of teachers between 41-60 (M= 2.69; Sd= .65) in general commitment. According to seniority, teachers’ organizational commitment levels do not show significant difference in continuance commitment, normative commitment and general commitment whereas affective commitment [F (2-156) = 3.783; p< .05] shows significant difference. According to multiple comparison test, teachers who are 21 years of seniority and above (M= 3.62; Sd= .85) have significantly higher affective commitment than those 10 years of seniority and below (M= 3.18; Sd=.77). 3.3. The Findings Concerning Correlation Between Teachers’ Tendency to Gossip and Organizational Commitment Level Relationship between teachers’tendency to gossip and organizational commitment level is examined and results are summarized on Table 3. Table 3. Correlation coefficient results between teachers’ tendency to gossip and organizational commitment level Dimensions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 PA - SG .569** - A .310** .308** - SI .622** .632** .259** - GG .815** .813** .621** .816** - AC .054 .038 .039 .050 .059 - CC .332** .297** .048 .167* .274** .065 - Table 2. Descriptive statistics regarding teachers’ organizational commitment level Variables Dimensions M Sd Organizational Commitment Affective commitment 3.37 .844 Normative commitment 2.77 .813 Continuance commitment 2.57 .593 General commitment 2.90 .564 Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1843 NC .118 .177* -.025 .136 .131 .570** .305** - GC .200* .208** .024 .149 .188* .795** .529** .871** - PA: Physical Appearance, SG: Sublimated Gossip, A: Achievement, SI: Social Information, GG: General Gossip, AC: Affective Commitment, CC: Continuance Commitment, NC: Normative Commitment, GC: General Commitment. **p<.01, *p<.05 When the Table 3 is analyzed, it is found that physical appearance has high level, positive correlation with general gossip; medium level, positive correlation with social information, sublimated gossip, continuance commitment, and achievement; and low level, positive correlation with general commitment. It is revealed that sublimated gossip has high level, positive correlation with general gossip; medium level, positive correlation with social information, achievement, and continuance commitment, and low level, positive correlation with general commitment, and normative commitment. It is found that achievement has medium level, positive correlation with general gossip and low level , positive correlation with social information . It is found that social information has high level, positive correlation with general gossip and low level, positive correlation with continuance commitment. It is found that general gossip has medium level, positive correlation with continuance commitment and low level, positive correlation with general commitment. It is found that affective commitment has high level, positive correlation with general commitment and medium level, positive correlation with and normative commitment. It is found that continuance commitment has medium level, positive correlation with general commitment and normative commitment. It is also found that normative commitment has high level, positive correlation with general commitment 3.4. The Finding Regarding Prediction of the Teachers’ Organizational Commitment Levels by Their Tendency to Gossip Levels Based on the findings which is obtained from the relationship between teachers’ tendency to gossip and organizational commitment, except for affective commitment which has not been found any relationship, obtained information about whether other dimensions and general commitment has predicted from tendency to gossip sub-dimensions or not has been given below. The results of multiple regression analysis performed to determine whether teachers' continuance commitment level is predicted by the sub-dimensions of gossip tendency are given in Table 4. In Table 4, it can be seen that there is a significant relationship between continuance commitment and predictor variables (R= .385; p<.01). It was found that linear combination of tendency to gossips sub-dimensions predicted continuance commitment [R2= .148; F(4, 154) = 6.696; p<.01]. Independent variables explained 15 % of continuance commitment’s total variance. When the results of the t-test regarding the significance of regression coefficients are examined, it is revealed that physical appearance (β= .324; t(157) = 3.222; p<.01) and sublimated gossip (β=.244; t(157) = 2.412; p<.05) has significant effects. Table 4. Multiple regression analysis results regarding prediction of continuance commitment Variables B SEB β t p Zero order r Partial r Constant 2.087 .190 10.960 .000 Physical appearance .236 .073 .324 3.222 .002 .332 .251 Sublimated gossip .184 .076 .244 2.412 .017 .297 .191 Achievement -.060 .056 -.085 -1.072 .285 .048 -.086 Social information -.124 .078 -.167 -1.584 .115 .167 -.127 R= .385; R2=.148, F(4, 154) = 6.696; p= .000 Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1844 The results of multiple regression analysis performed to determine whether teachers' normative commitment level is predicted by the sub-dimensions of gossip tendency are given in Table 5. When Table 5 is examined, it is seen that there is a significant relationship between normative commitment and predictor variables (R= .201; p>.05). It was found that linear combination of tendency to gossips dimensions didn't predict normative commitment [R2= .04; F(4,154) = 1.057; p>.05]. Independent variables explained 4% of normative commitment’s total variance. When the results of the t-test regarding the significance of regression coefficients are examined, it can be seen that there is no significant effect. The results of multiple regression analysis performed to determine whether teachers' general commitment level is predicted by the sub-dimensions of gossip tendency are given in Table 6. When Table 6 is examined, there is no significant relationship between general commitment and predictor variables (R= .24; p>.05). It is also found out that linear combination of tendency to gossips dimensions do predict general commitment [R2= .06; F(4,154) = 2.335; p>.05]. Independent variables have explained 6 % of general commitment’s total variance. When the results of the t-test regarding the significance of regression coefficients are examined, there is no significant effect recorded. 4. Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations As a result of the research, teachers’ tendency level about achievement were at the highest level, and then respectively sublimated gossip, social information and physical appearance. Teachers’ general tendency to gossip has found low level. It has not been found research which support this research in literature. Moreover researches (Decoster, Camps, Stouten, Vandevyvere & Tripp, 2013; Litman & Pezzo, 2005; Turcotte, 2012; Wittek & Wielers, 1998) have mentioned tendency to gossip in general. According to Nevo and Zehavi (1993), researches have been generally analyzed such independent variables as gender, occupational interest and social desires. According to obtained results, it can be said that teachers have had more tendency to gossip about successful people. It can conclude in envying about this success of people who work together and become successful. At the same time, teachers’ Table 5. Multiple regression analysis results regarding prediction of normative commitment Variables B SEB β t p Zero order r Partial r Constant 2.463 .277 8.896 .000 Physical appearance .030 .106 .030 .283 .778 .118 .023 Sublimated gossip .172 .111 .167 1.548 .124 .177 .124 Achievement -.093 .082 -.095 -1.132 .259 -025 -.091 Social information .037 .114 .037 .327 .744 .136 .026 R= .201; R2= .040; F(4,154) = 1.057; p= .171 Table 6. Multiple regression analysis results regarding prediction of general commitment Variables B SEB β t p Zero order r Partial r Constant 2.289 .191 13.526 .000 Physical appearance .100 .073 .144 1.364 .175 .200 .109 Sublimated gossip .117 .076 164 1534 .127 .208 .123 Achievement -.043 .056 -064 -.768 .445 .024 -.062 Social information -.020 .078 -.028 -.251 .802 .149 -.020 R= .239; R2= .057; F(4,154) = 2.335; p= .058 Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1845 wondering about others’ success, talking about this success as a chat, mentioning about celebrities’ success and paying attention to others’ occupational success can cause high tendency to gossip. Solmaz (2004) has focused that success-oriented tendency to gossip has positively affected to the organization and talking about success stories in organization has had incentive sides. Therefore, one of reasons why teachers have preferred for success- oriented tendency to gossip can be this viewpoint. The reasons for the low general gossip tendency in this study can be interpreted as that gossip is not accepted at school and is perceived negatively. It has been stated that teachers’ gender, the number of teachers in school, marital and educational status do not show significant difference whereas seniority and age show significant difference. According to these results, it can be said that teachers’ gender, marital and educational status, the number of teachers in school variables haven’t made any significant difference in their tendency to gossip. Similar to this research, Gurbuz (2019), Gurbuzoglu (2019), Han (2019), Leblebici, Yildiz and Karasoy (2009), Litman and Pezzo (2005), Litman, Huang and Chang (2009) and Ozsarlak (2016), have stated that gender make any significant difference in tendency to gossip. However, Nevo, Nevo and Derech-Zehavi has revealed that women talk about others’ physical appearance more than men. Bulduk, Ozel ve Dincer (2016) found that female gossip more in the workplace than male. Akgeyik (2017) revealed that female participants have had more tendency to gossip compared to male participants. Davis, Dufort, Desrochers, Vaillancourt and Arnocky (2018) have stated that female has used gossip more intense compared to male in order to damage fellow’s mental balance or to harm bilateral relations. However, Robbins and Karan (2019) found that female engaged in more neutral gossip than male. According to educational status, there is no significant difference in teachers’ tendency level to gossip. Unlike this research, Akgeyik (2017) and Sharpteen (1988) found that as the education level increased, the tendency to gossip decreased. It has stated that more educated participants has more importance gossip’s ethical sides. According to the number of teachers in school, Gurbuz’s (2019) research differ to this research. Gurbuz (2019) has found that schools which have less teachers has been observed less organizational gossip compared to schools which have more teachers. In this research, it has been expected that the number of teachers is getting more, the gossip which married teachers has made about single teachers’ lives, success and dressing style is getting more. In fact, in schools where teachers are more crowded and intense, it can be said that there has been more humor and gossip culture and provided organizational communication similarly. However, the findings of research have not met this expectation supportively. According to age variable, whereas teachers’ tendency level to gossip has no significant difference in physical appearance and achievement dimensions, it has been found that teachers at the age of 35 and below have more tendency to gossip than teachers at the age of 41 and above in sublimated gossip, social information and general tendency to gossip. Generally, young teachers can prefer listening to speech and analyzing teachers’ behaviors to joining the speech. Moreover, young teachers may tend to gossip because they don’t experience what is happening at work, what kind of matters there are. In fact, it can be said that young teachers like commenting on general issues, analyzing on interesting details and sharing all of them. Thus, Robbins and Karan (2019) found that young people tend to gossip more negatively than older people. According to seniority variable, whereas there is no significant difference in physical appearance, sublimated gossip and achievement dimensions and the whole scale, there is significant difference in social information. It has been found out Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1846 that teachers who work 10 years and below have significantly higher scores in social information than teachers working 21 years and above. Especially teachers working less than others may want to learn for identifying schools and various information (what is happening at school, what kind of matters there is, who is talking to whom, single teachers are flirting with whom) more. It can be said that teachers working less may tend to talking about and commenting on special issues which come true among celebrities and collogues and on teachers’ sharing information. Moreover, in her research on academicians, contrary to these findings, Ozsarlak (2016) has found out that there is no significant difference in tendency to gossip in age and seniority variables. It was found that teachers show affective commitment at the highest level among all dimensions of organizational commitment and then continuance and normative commitment, respectively. Teachers’ general organizational commitment has found medium level. It was found out that the dimension which is stated at the highest level is similar in the studies of Coban and Bozkurt (2020), Kiral, (2020); Kiral and Kacar (2016), Yazgan and Topaloglu (2020). However, continuance commitment is the highest level in Girgin and Demir’s (2018) and Celik’s (2020) researches whereas normative commitment is the highest level in Karakulle (2020). Based on these results, it can be said that organizational commitment perceptions of educators at different levels may differ. Thus, according to Gokyer and Kocak (2019), varying teachers’ school commitment can result firstly from teachers’ interests, abilities and expectations. Also, differences in occupational love of teachers, the features of schools they work, attitudes which other participants show in schools can be the most important factors. Similarly, Deliveli and Kiral (2020) has found that affective commitment is higher than continuance commitment and normative commitment. Identifying personal values with organizational values can be positively expressed in terms of the fact that affective commitment which is based on volunteer and eagerness has been high in teachers, that school reach its aims and that it enhances students’ performance (Sezgin, 2010). Meanwhile, affective commitment is a commitment which members of an organization is expected to have most in their organization. Affective commitment means accepting employees’ organizational aims and values and a member who commits affectively to the organization can see himself/herself as a part of the organization. Thus, adopting organization’s aims and values can be higher and the desire to stay in the organization can be more. Girgin and Demir (2018) have stated that they have done the activities in the school more eagerly when teachers have affectively committed to his/her organization. Generally, it can be said that the members of an organization have different level in continuance and normative commitment as well as they have shown higher affective commitment. There are significant differences in seniority and the numbers of teachers in a school whereas there are no significant differences in teachers’ organizational commitment in age, gender, marital and educational status variables. Similar to this research, Deliveli and Kiral (2020) has found that there are no significant differences in gender, age, marital and educational status variables. Similarly, there has been researches which are no significant differences in gender variable (Sabanci, Emiroglu & Duztepe, 2018; Dagli & Gencdal, 2018; Kiral & Kacar, 2016; Girgin & Demir, 2018) as well as researches (Aksanaklu & Inandi, 2018; Kiral, 2020; Malkoc & Sunay, 2020 ect.) which are significant differences in gender variable. Aksanaklu and Inandı (2018) have found that male school principals have higher affective and continuance commitment than female school principals. Kiral (2020) has found that female teachers have higher continuance commitment than male teachers. Malkoc and Sunay (2020) have found that female affective and continuance commitment is higher than Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1847 male. Bayraktar and Uzunpınar (2020) have found out that female elementary school teachers have significantly higher organizational commitment than males. However, Aydin, Sarier and Uysal have analyzed 15 master and doctoral theses, they have searched the effects of gender on organizational commitment and have found that male teachers’ organizational commitment is higher than female teachers’ organizational commitment (2011). According to age variable, organizational commitment levels of teachers show no significant difference. Similarly, Gok and Ozturk (2019) and Ovali, Demir, Basturk and Saglik (2020) have found that age has not caused to significant differences in organizational commitment. Meanwhile, Girgin and Demir (2018), Karaca, Durmus, Yazkan and Akarcay (2017), Gokyer and Kocak (2019) have found that age has caused to significant difference in organizational commitment. Gokyer and Kocak (2019) have stated that perceptions of teachers’ organizational commitment have been progressively increasing with age. Obtained experiences with age and effort given to the organization can be said the reason of this. Similar to this research, there are studies (Bayraktar & Uzunpınar, 2020; Dagli & Gencdal, 2018; Girgin & Demir, 2018; Gokyer & Kocak, 2019; Yavuzkilic, 2020) which reveal that marital status is not effective in the organizational commitment, as well as studies (Akyol, Atan & Gokmen, 2012; Guner, 2015) which reveal that marital status affect the organizational commitment. Akyol, Atan and Gokmen (2012) has found that married teachers have higher affective and normative commitment. Guner (2015) has found that married academicians’ affective commitment levels have been higher than single ones. According to educational status, teachers’ organizational commitment levels have shown no significant difference. Similarly, Gok and Ozturk (2019) and Sabanci, Emiroglu and Duztepe (2018) have found that there is no significant difference in organizational commitment in educational status in their studies. However, Bayraktar and Uzunpınar (2020) has found that as the education level of primary school teachers increased, their organizational commitment decreased. Dagli and Gencdal (2018) have revealed that assossiate degree teachers continuance commitment has been higher than master degree teachers. According to the number of teachers in school, teachers’ organizational commitment levels do not show any significant differences in continuance commitment whereas teachers’ organizational commitment levels show significant differences in affective and normative commitment and general scale. Generally, it can be said that schools with less teachers have higher levels of commitment than schools with a high number of teachers. This situation have seen as an advantage for schools where there is a few teachers. Because, teachers in small schools are more sincere in their relationship and teachers in those schools can have a strong and emotional relationship with their colleagues and school principals. In schools where there are many teachers, interpersonal relations can be weak and restricted. Teachers can’t sometimes come together either school principals and or their colleagues. In schools where there are a few teachers, teachers can sit and have a nice conversation, pour out their grief to each other and spend much time together. Some studies (Perry, 2003; Wasley et al. 2000; Weaver, 2001) mentioned that teachers in the small school cooperate more with their colleagues, provide consistent professional development, communicate regularly with each other, feel more connected to each other and provide more satisfaction with their work. According to seniority, teachers’ organizational commitment levels have no significant difference in continuance commitment, normative commitment and general commitment whereas teachers who have 21 years and above seniority higher affective commitment than teachers who have 10 years and below seniority. Teachers can identify with their school and adopt school’s aims and targets more when their age is getting older. Because teachers adopt Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1848 their schools, they can do their best and tastefully work. Teachers can feel themselves dependent to their schools and they adopt their school as their homes. Teachers who have emotional relationship with their school can carry their all energy to the school and can create a friendly environment. While Kiral (2020), Bayraktar and Uzunpınar (2020) have reached similar findings to this research, some researcher (Dagli & Gencdal, 2018; Demir, 2013; Gok & Ozturk, 2019; Gokyer & Kocak, 2019; Sabanci, Emiroglu & Duztepe, 2018) have reached different findings. Demir (2013) has revealed that school principals’ affective commitment levels show significant difference according to their seniority but their continuance and normative commitment levels do not show significant difference. In this research, general tendency to gossip has positive, medium and high correlation with its dimensions. The highest correlation has found between general tendency to gossip and social information relatively. Positive and medium relationships have found between sub- dimensions of gossip tendency. The highest correlation has found between sublimated gossip and social information relatively. Teachers are people who are curious as a part of their job. They want to know what is happening around both in their environment and in the world. They can learn by following it sometimes from newspaper and sometimes from asking each other. It is normal that teachers want to have knowledge of people who are in front of the society and constitute the society. It is crucial to know positive and negative situation, shaping the life according to this, sharing good and bad situation with students. Teachers who are eager for learning want to have knowledge of many issues. They make this by sharing the knowledge they get each other. According to Dodig and Anoghima (2008) have revealed that employees have used the gossip for socializing in the community, having knowledge and affecting each other. In fact, teachers can use the gossip as a tool for putting across each other, affecting on school principals and their colleagues, gaining a seat among teachers in school. As a matter of fact, gossip has functional implications for people so people gossip. Through gossip, they can obtain information about each other and become social (Martinescu, Janssen & Nijstad, 2019). Positive, medium and high relationships between organizational commitment and its dimensions has found in this research. The highest correlation has found between general commitment and normative commitment relatively. Positive, medium and low relationships have found between sub-dimensions of commitment. The highest correlation has found between affective and normative commitment. According to obtained findings, it can be said that teachers have identified with their schools and they have done every kind of business both from the heart and as part of their jobs. In fact, it can be said that they have done this as a part of their jobs with pleasure for both getting better relationship with their friends and being better education. It can be said that their emotional relationship is quite high because they feel their schools like their homes. However, some teachers have perceived all duties given in schools as a part of their job and have moved into this situation. This situation has been related to teachers’ perception of school and school principals. Some of the teachers who have same school and school principals have expressed to committed affectively to their school whereas some teachers have expressed to do this as a part of job. In some situations, school principals’ attitudes, behaviors, being fair, honest and self-confident have provided for teachers to committed affectively to their school (Ditmarsch, Eijck, Pardo, Ramezanian & Schwarzentruber, 2019; Yukl, 2018). It has been determined that there is positively low level relationship between general tendency to gossip and continuance and general commitment; between social information and continuance commitment; between sublimated gossip and normative, continuance and Erkan Kıral, Ilknur Durdu, International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(3), 1833-1856. 1849 general commitment, between physical appearance and general commitment. It has been found out there is positively medium-level relationship between physical appearance and continuance commitment. The highest correlation is found between physical appearance and continuance commitment relatively. According to findings, it can be said that there is no significant relationship between achievement and continuance commitment; between affective commitment and tendency to gossip and all dimensions. Nevertheless, the relationships between general tendency to gossip and organizational commitment are low level relatively. However, it can be said the highest correlation is stated between physical appearance and continuance commitment. Generally, teachers must pay attention their dressings because they are role model to their students. Teachers have gone to school by putting on what they want thanks to clothing freeness. Teachers who have known they can’t find this freeness in other places haven’t wanted to lose this. Being free is the most important reasons for continuing one’s working place. Mills (2010) has mentioned gossip’s many usage areas. In one of them, it has mentioned people have made a speech on other’s physical appearance to develop their relationships with each other. Especially, people have needed this behavior for acceptance motivation to the group and have continued this behavior not to be alienated from the organization. In this research, it has found out that linear combination of tendency to gossip dimensions hasn’t affected general commitment and normative commitment whereas it has significantly affected continuance commitment. Physical appearance and sublimated gossip dimensions have affected teachers’ continuance commitment. Teachers’ desires to stay in the organizations, in other words feeling committed to continuance, can be explained that teachers have entered into more sincere connection with others in organization by talking about other’s physical appearance and that they have felt closer to the organization and organization’s members. Sharing opinions about other’s physical appearance and communications process can be stated to affect positively teachers’ continuance commitment. Meanwhile, in this communication process, others’ physical appearance and sharing one’s features can provide teachers for feeling more committed themselves to the organization. Teachers can make sublimated gossip, in other words the situation which is the normal part of the life, easily. In fact, they have easily got daily news from each other. They have exchanged information by asking each other what is happening in daily life. This cannot be thought as a gossip. This situation can contribute to their intellectual stock interactively. Of course, this exchange information can enhance their continuance to the school. They don’t want to lose it. It can be accepted as an important indicator of being satisfied with existing environment. In fact, according to Nevo, Nevo and Zehavi (1993), sublimated gossip has included situations and events which change somehow, are accepted from society not thinking as gossip and become as a part of daily life. Teachers’ having general tendency to gossip about a known person or subject haven’t damaged commitment to organizational targets, organization and its members. The research has conducted in a small sample in a particular district. The research can be done widely. Tendency to gossip scale has been firstly conducted in educational organizations and it needs research supporting this scale. Whether present dependent variables show significant differences or not can be examined in other researches. It has been found out that tendency to gossip has not significantly affected general commitment and physical appearance and sublimated gossip has significantly affected continuance commitment. Qualitative researches in which two mentioned variables have affected continuance commitment can be conducted in various grades. 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