A rumor is an unconfirmed piece of information that may be false. It is often accompanied by the adjective “rumormonger,” a person who spreads the rumor. Rumors are often based on a lack of evidence and the perception that the event in question is important. For example, if someone overhears that an upcoming school closing will be broadcast on television, it becomes a rumor. However, if the news is not broadcast and it turns out the school did close early, the rumor will be dispelled.
Rumors are frequently created and spread by people who feel powerless to prevent the occurrence of an undesirable event. Often, these events are outside of the control of the individuals involved, such as a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. These rumors are spread by word-of-mouth or through social media. Social media is particularly prone to rumor spreading because each individual acts as both a spreader and a recipient of information.
In addition to its speed of dissemination, social media also provides access to a large variety of people. Therefore, a rumor can have far-reaching effects that would not be possible otherwise. In fact, a rumor has the potential to alter an entire organization or even a society.
Researchers have examined the reasons behind rumor-spreading and how it can be managed in organizations. Several models have been proposed, ranging from behavioral to computational analysis. Some research has also focused on the relationship between rumor-spreading and social network structure.
A major reason why rumor-spreading takes place is because of a feeling of relative deprivation, which can be caused by many factors. For example, if people do not have enough information about their own job status or company performance, they will feel that others are getting ahead of them. Consequently, they will be more likely to create and spread a rumor to gain a competitive advantage.
Other reasons for rumor-spreading include the need to satisfy curiosity, the desire to impress others and the motivation to vent feelings of anxiety or anger. The latter is especially the case when people are not able to express their true feelings in private settings.
Some rumors have significant consequences, such as the one that suggested that nuclear leakage from the Fukushima disaster would pollute salt and caused mass buying of the commodity in 2011. In general, rumor-spreading increases when people have a high degree of uncertainty about what is happening and cannot get confirmation of the truth. In order to reduce the amount of rumor-spreading in their organizations, managers should ensure that all employees receive authentic and timely information. They can also take steps to improve fairness by enhancing the sense of organizational justice and improving consistency in decision-making. This can help to alleviate a lot of the frustration that leads people to create and spread rumors. Finally, they should provide a clear channel of communication between all levels of the organization and promote a culture of trust and integrity.