Many, if not all, are aware of the rumors. Intuitively, we associate them with the transmission of false or inaccurate information. However, the phenomenon of the emergence and spread of rumors has not yet been studied.
Since ancient times, rumors have been used as an instrument of ideological or political struggle. At the everyday level, rumors are the transmission of knowingly false or unintentionally distorted information, with the aim of forming a definite opinion about the subject or event that is their topic.
How rumors arise
Contrary to popular belief, the degree of reliability of the information does not affect whether we interpret the information received as a rumor. A fundamental aspect in the classification of rumors is that they are transmitted through interpersonal channels.
Of course, not all information obtained in this way is hearsay. If, in a conversation with acquaintances or friends, an assessment of any events is given, philosophical or religious concepts are stated, an attitude towards common acquaintances is shown - this cannot be called rumors. At the same time, when information about the subject previously unknown to the interlocutor is communicated and they are supplemented by a personal assessment or a reference to an authoritative expert opinion, rumors begin to circulate. In fact, for rumors to arise, two conditions are necessary: the presence of new subject information and channels for its dissemination.
Why research rumors
The importance of this work is due to the following circumstances:
- rumors are a valid source of information about political attitudes, citizens' attitudes towards the country's leadership, and the real values of the population;
- rumors serve as a catalyst for social and political changes, provoke the occurrence of certain events;
- rumors form certain moods of the population, contribute to a change in priorities or a change in socially approved stereotypes of citizens' behavior.
The role of rumors is especially growing in the context of a lack of information. Their analysis helps to recreate a picture of the minds of the population close to reality, and also allows manipulating the moods and preferences of citizens.
How rumors circulate
In the process of spreading the rumor, its plot (plot) undergoes certain changes. Experts identify three trends in the transformation of rumors:
- smoothing - when broadcasting, some details of the event that are insignificant in the eyes of a certain audience may be omitted, the story of the hearing becomes brighter and more dynamic;
- sharpening - important details are highlighted, their scale and significance increase, and nuances are added that contribute to its functionalization;
- adaptation - individual details of the plot are adjusted to stereotypes and attitudes, sometimes completely changing the meaning of hearing.
For example, in a rumor of a car accident, the details of the crash site may disappear due to smoothing. As a result of sharpening, 1-2 victims of the tragedy can be transformed into a "mountain of corpses", and the result of adaptation can be the transformation of an ordinary traffic accident into a criminal "showdown".
