Rumor is a term that describes an unverified claim or piece of information. It is often spread through social media and has the potential to go viral. Rumors, gossip, and urban legends have a variety of characteristics. They may entertain, possess a narrative structure, or contain slander. They also vary in their level of accuracy, and they are used for different purposes. Managers must consider the validity and impact of rumors in their organization.
When a rumor is spreading, it is important to remember that the truth can be very far removed from the rumor. The first step in managing a rumor is identifying where it originated. It is often the case that a rumor starts with a friend and then gets passed around to others. Trying to stop the spread of a rumor is best done by limiting the number of people that it is told to. It is also helpful to try and get the person that started the rumor to not share it with anyone else.
The next step in managing a rumor is to verify the source of the rumor. This can be difficult because many rumors come from sources that are not reliable or trustworthy. If the rumor can be confirmed as true, it is a good idea to act on it. This can be done through formal channels, such as a corporate communications office or by using the informal communication methods of email and social media.
It is also important to consider the impact that a rumor can have on an individual. If it is about a negative event or issue, it can have an emotional impact. This can lead to a lack of confidence in leaders and a loss of morale. It can also create a feeling of distrust among team members and colleagues.
There are several factors that can influence a rumor, including anxiety, ambiguity, and the importance of the information. People who have an anxious personality or are in a high-anxiety situation are more likely to create and spread a rumor. Ambiguity is a factor that can affect rumor formation because it can cause people to make illogical assumptions based on incomplete or inaccurate information.
The importance of the rumor and how it is spread can determine how accurate it is. Researchers have found that rumors in organizational grapevines tend to be more accurate than those from unstructured groups or following natural disasters. They have also found that rumors with more detail are more accurate than those with fewer details. The accuracy of a rumor can be affected by cognitive mechanisms, such as the narrowing of attention, memory limitations, and perceptual biases, and by motivational factors, such as fact-finding and relationship-enhancement motives.
It is also important to understand that rumors are often changed throughout the transmission process. Changes can include leveling (a reduction in the number of details), adding (when new elements are added to the rumor), sharpening (when specific details are emphasized), and assimilation, which is when the rumor is shaped to fit preconceived ideas and stereotypes.