Journal
DIOGENES
Volume 54, Issue 1, Pages 19-+Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
DOI: 10.1177/0392192107073433
Keywords
-
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The term 'rumor' is often used interchangeably with 'gossip' and 'urban legend' by both laypersons and scholars. In this article we attempt to clarify the construct of rumor by proposing a definition that delineates the situational and motivational contexts from which rumors arise (ambiguous, threatening or potentially threatening situations), the functions that rumors perform (sense-making and threat management), and the contents of rumor statements (unverified and instrumentally relevant information statements in circulation). To further clarify the rumor construct we also investigate the contexts, functions and contents of gossip and urban legends, juxtapose these with rumor, and analyze their similarities and differences.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available