Robert Knapp's Essay 'What Makes A Good Rumor'

A currently circulating story or report of uncertain, or doubtful truth defines what a rumor is. Rumors are a slippery slope that can go either way, but with common sense and facts we can reassure ourselves of what we know and believe, and not fall victim to the never-ending idea of rumors. Christine C. Keiffer of the article, “Rumors and Gossip as forms of bullying: Sticks and Stones?”, says it best when she states, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”, (pp.1).
Not giving into a rumor is easier said than done. Daniel Goleman of the article “Anatomy of a Rumor: It Flies on Fear”, acknowledges why rumors have such importance in society when he quotes Dr. Ralph Rosnow, a psychologist at Temple University

To understand what a rumor is, we must try to first understand what makes a good rumor. Phycologist Robert H. Knapp attempts to give an understanding on what makes a good rumor in his article “A Psychology of Rumor”. Robert H. Knapp goes on to explain his three classifications to what a rumor is, each being based off human emotion. Arguably the most common emotion behind a rumor is fear, along with the other two wish and hostility. Fear being called “Bogie Rumor”, (pp.4970. the Bogie rumor per Robert H. Knapp “…is essentially derives from fear and anxieties”, (pp.497). Robert H. Knapp the goes on to explain another emotion that drives a rumor, which being the emotion of wish, or classified by the article as “Pipe-dream, or Wish rumor”, (pp.496). The Pipe-dream rumor according to Robert H Knapp is “…express the wishes and hopes of those among they circulate…. popularly identified as ‘wishful thinking’”, (pp.496). The last emotion classified in the article was that of hostility, the most aggressive and arguably the most destructive causes of a rumor. The emotion was classified by the article as “The wedge-driving Aggression rumor”, (pp.497). The wedge rumor is described as, “dividing groups and destroying loyalties; its essential motivation is aggression or hatred”