describe how rumor spread in your neighborhood and the effect it had on various people write a composition in 400 to 500 words
Answers
Rumour changes as it spreads. A very simple fact may be turned to a matter of great national or emotional importance because of rumour.
Rumour usually spreads through gossips. When one person speaks that a person has died in a rail accident and when it spreads to the thirtieth person, it is gossiped that 100 persons have been killed. Various incidents and facts in this way are exaggerated fitting with the emotional needs and attitudes of the concerned persons. It spreads through the mouth more speedily than by any other means.
In this age of telecommunication rumour spreads like fire through telephone and fax message. When such rumours are printed in the newspapers and pamphlets they are more readily believed and more strongly accepted as true facts by large number of people who read them. Yellow journalism tries to bring down the reputation of persons getting name and fame in different areas through the phenomenon of rumour.
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Similar to the method of serial reproduction and repeated reproduction of Bartlett, the process of rumour can be classified to levelling, sharpening and assimilation. While confirming the view of Bartlett. Allport and Postman (1947) hold that there are tendencies to level, to sharpen and to assimilate to personal and cultural contexts.
Bartlett holds on the basis of his research data that memory is always constructive and never reproductive. According to him, when an individual is confronted with a complex problem situation he does not normally take such a situation detail by detail and meticulously build up as a whole.
In all ordinary instances, he has an overwhelming tendency, simply to get a general impression of the whole and on the basis of this he constitutes the probable detail.
Very little of his construction is literally observed and often as demonstrated experimentally, a lot of it is distorted so far as the actual facts are concerned. For all practical purposes, there is almost addition and subtraction specially when there is greater ambiguity and subjectivity in the perceived element.
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Rumour spreads in a homogenous group more quickly than in a heterogeneous group because in a homogenous group different persons believe each other and there is less disbelief and more faith keeping of course other factors same. Secondly, rumour spreads more quickly when the situation is unstructured and vague and there is enough scope for distortion and manipulation of facts.
Rumour also spreads more speedily with easy means of communication like telegram, telephone, fax and newspapers. Rumour also spreads more rapidly during the time of war and election, social unrest and crisis. When there is a threat of war, people are quite uncertain of things.
So many rumours spread and people believe them. When the situation is fluid and the uncertainties prevail everywhere, suggestibility works strongly and rumour spreads rapidly.
Sherif and Sherif hold “when the individual is confronted by conditions of fluidity and instability, he experiences uncertainty, suspense and even anxiety. These discomforting experiences follow logically enough from the proposition that there is a tendency towards psychological patterning.”
Thus, the unstable and fluid situations, block the use of habitual guideline for behaviour. By distorting facts and making it complete according to the existing needs and demands he tries to bring some kind of stability.
Some authors like Frenkei, Brunswik (1949) have referred to this phenomena as intolerance of ambiguity. Particularly when many individuals face this kind of situation the already established standards of behaviour are weakened and new facts emerge. This is how rumour spreads.
When one is not sure of certain facts and the situation has not been properly structured and the goal is not properly visualized there is more chance for spread of rumour. When everyone knows that a great old person is ill for several days or months, and the rumour spreads that he has expired, people believe it.
Hence expectancy, mental set and suggestibility also act as additive factors for the spread of rumour. Many rumours float during war time like so many soldiers have been killed, so many people have been massacred, so many war aircrafts have been damaged by the enemy and many more such gossips.
Some years back due to the terrorist attack many innocent persons left Punjab and settled elsewhere. Note that there were no terrorist attacks on innocent people. But some attacks were made on people by vested interest parties to develop a fear psychosis and spread the rumour that all Hindus are being killed.
Hope IT helps you
The Truck-Full of Banned Notes
The demonetization declaration of 500 and 1000 rupees denomination notes by the PM Modi has had its effects not only those who had hoarded piles of wads, but also on those who had no money at all. Bizarre incidents came to light. Incidents such as sacks full of old and banned notes in empty plots, sacks flowing in rivers and canals, street cleaners finding thousands of banned rupees thrown in garbage yards, and many more such incidents. Some rich generous people distributed the old currency notes among the poor people who have the hope of having them converted from banks.
A very interesting incident happened in our neighborhood on November 13, 2016. It was a fine, cold Sunday morning. I was woken up by a hullabaloo at the door. My mother was excitedly knocking the door excitedly to wake me up. As I opened the door, with light in her eyes and excitement in voice she said, “There is a truck full of old currency notes. Some rich industrialist is distributing his black money among the people. Let’s go and have our share. Get dressed up!” Saying this she ran downstairs, through the gate joined the crowd of people rushing towards the alleged direction of the beneficent truck.
I pulled up my pajama and joined the stream of crowd. A mile away from my home, after turning many streets left and right when I reached the spot, I saw a huge crowd assembled there. However, there was no truck. In the milling crowd, I spotted my mother and asked her, “Where is the truck, mother? Did you get any money? Am I late?” Disappointed, yet smiling she replied there was no truck full of old currency. It was just a rumor. Smiling, I and my mother came back. So did thousands of people, who had rushed to get some 500 and 1000 rupee denomination notes.