Rumour and Gossip in the Workplace - Literature Review

One thing everyone knows is when people gossip and the press gets a hold on a story, the story won’t be straight and it will be a distortion of the truth. Both can be manipulating, false advertised, and one-sided. Also, both can be just as bad as the other. It depends on your situation.

Rumors are something that we all know are constantly spreading everyday; however, most of us might not exactly know the specific effects that they can and do have on our social lives. In this article by Jesse Singal titled “How To Fight a Rumor” he writes to try and explain the effects that rumors have and different methods that some people have used to try and counter them. His thesis is that in order to combat rumors we must first learn about the inner workings of rumors themselves. He does this by using examples such as the 2008 presidential election, studies that have been conducted, and the research from those studies. These examples along with others combine to make his argument much more strong.

“How to Fight a Rumor” by Jesse Signal is an essay that gives information about rumors and how to fight them. The essay uses research from rumor researchers and gives different examples of how people deal with rumors. It also views rumors on a psychological level and looks into why people spread them. In the essay, Jesse Signal informs the reader why people spread rumors, how to fight rumors, and gives examples of how people deal with rumors.

Salmans main purpose is to inform her readers of current legal battles being pursued by Procter and Gamble in discrediting false rumors, which were causing a threat to the company 's sales and reputation. Salmans also debates the issue of rumors and provides actual opinions concerning the rumors from a variety of sources, mainly the prosecutors, defense and church ministers to provide the reader with opposite views. I believe that rumors are usually created due to rivalry, anger, jealousy or hate either amongst individuals or corporations. Rumors most often hinder a person character, beliefs or

The reason that these yellow presses can spread rumours so quickly is because people at that time don’t know that the “truth” they tell are not exactly what happened. People don’t know anything about it so it

and blackmail to instill fear and gain control of a persons thoughts regarding decision making.

In “Anatomy of A Rumor: It Flies on Fear” Daniel Goleman explains how anxiety plays a role in the creation of a rumor. He explains how many psychologist have found that the spreading of rumors are based on things they are already anxious about. He says that people are more likely to spread a rumor if they fear it's truth. In the article, he uses an example of how a rumor about getting AIDS from swimming in a public pool was spread because of people's fear of it being true. Goleman compares the rumor to a virus, “thriving because of their ability to create the very anxieties that make them spread, and to mutate to fit new situations”.

Second, rumors are spread in school due to jealousy because some people want to intimidate others or they want to gain popularity. Similarly, people who jealous to other people professions can inspirit to spread rumors for their own advantage. According to the article “What Cost Charis Dussold His Dream Job?” The author explains, “one rumor had it that he was having sex with Ms.Peyla in his office” (Bartlett 351). Evidently, people started noticing the rumors, and they thought that Dussold was the only one who did this kind of stuff with someone, and people did not want to accept the truth of reality, but the situation was getting worse than it was. For example, in this article “Mr. Monaco had advised him to require every visitor to his office

Wickham argues in his article, Gossip and Resistance Among the Medieval Peasantry about the importance of analyzing gossip, and how gossip can help historians understand how medieval social groups work. Wickham’s analysis of medieval gossip is unique in that, as Wickham points out, research involving gossip has been historically marginalized due to the connotation of gossip as being morally incorrect, and for having a low proportion of facts. For example the author states that fields which would have been the most prepared for studying gossip tend to stay away from gossip for fear that the field would develop a “ stigma of being about 'mere ' gossip”. (page 10) Wickham, in this piece develops an argument backed by examples to support his claim that studying gossip can result in a better understanding of social groups, in particular peasants.

Whispers drifted around them and through the crowd, anxious to find out if the rumors were true.

Max is a victim of “workplace bullying, a form of harassment that results in employees experiencing mental distress, physical illness, loss of productivity, and a higher propensity to quit to avoid being in a toxic workplace” (Gomez-Melia et al., 2011, p. 490). Max’s peers were constantly talking and spreading rumors about him. His peer, Nicole Ianucci told other peers that he was probably having a mental breakdown because she saw him getting a prescription at the CVS (Roche, 2003). This persistent pattern of “targeting an employee to rumors or gossip with intentions to harm” (Gomez-Melia et al., 2011, p. 491) is an example of bullying behaviors.

A rumor can be classified as a special case of informal social communications that include myth, legend, and current humor. Rumors have three basic characteristics to them. The first is mode transmission which is usually done through word of mouth. The second characteristic is that they provide information, ranging from a particular person, an event, or condition. Lastly, the third characteristic is that a rumor satisfies mythology, folklore, and humor. Rumors have the

First, rumors are spread due to jealousy in the workplace or employees’ wants to get a higher position. Also, sometimes rumors lead them to an unhealthy environment or scandal of the characters. According to the article “Work Office Gossip to Your Advantage”, Sue shellenbarger explains that ‘“I’d appreciate it if you could be an advocate, to help shut this down,” says Ms. Drake, a Charleston, S.C, workplace mediation consultant. The employee was startled but agreed’ (2). Clearly, Ms. Drake knows that there was an untrue rumor is going about her divorce. Also, she tried to stop it, though she did not know that the employee she is asking for help is the one who is spread the false rumors. Employee talked about her because

“Gossip” (pg: 199) Connotative: Talking to someone Denotative: Talking about a person behind there backs without even knowing.

Do not gossip, or fall in to the trap of one who does. Gossip can destroy a person and ruin their career, and is something that is easy to fall in to.