Psychological Motivations in Rumor Spread

Psychological research on rumors was spurred by the need to manage information and public morale during the Second World War. Social interchange serves three broad goals: acting effectively, building and maintaining relationships, and managing favorable self-impressions. The goal of acting effectively refers to the need to respond and cope with the environment in a competent and adaptive manner. Accurate knowledge of people's physical and social environment is vital for responding effectively to the environment. The goal of building and maintaining relationships is central to the survival and functioning of humans as social animals. This goal motivates several social behaviors, including compliance with norms and requests in order to please others, impression management and self-presentation tactics such as ingratiation, and even outright deception. The goal of maintaining the positive self-image refers to the need in people to feel positive about themselves.