Rumor interaction patterns on computer-mediated communication networks

In this study, rumor transmission over computer-mediated communication networks was analyzed using two content analytic observation systems: The Rumor Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) and the Group Development Observation System (CDOS). The RIAS, first introduced in Bordia (1994) and further revised in this study, classified verbal units representing a complete thought into one of the following 14 content categories: prudent, authenticating, apprehensive, interrogatory, providing information, belief, disbelief, sense-making, personal involvement, sarcasm, wish, directive, digressive, and uncodable statements. Fourteen rumor interactions, obtained from various computer networks, were content analyzed. Results revealed sense-making statements to have the highest frequency. Patterns of prudent, apprehensive, interrogatory, sense-making, and digressive statements were traced over the life of the rumor. These patterns confirmed several theoretical and intuitive ideas about rumor generation and transmission. A cluster analysis was performed on the narratives, to identify communicative postures (transient styles of communication) adopted while transmitting rumors. Eleven postures were discovered and profiled on the RIAS. The GDOS consists of the following seven content categories: dependency, counterdependency, pairing, counterpairing, fight, flight, and work statements (Wheelan, Verdi, & McKeage, 1994). Results of the content analysis with GDOS indicated that rumor interactions exhibit the group development stages of dependency, counterdependency, trust and structure, and work. These results supported the sociological perspective of rumor as group problem solving (Shibutani, 1966). Thus, naturalistic and unobtrusive observation of rumor interactions revealed that rumor transmission involved a give-and-take of information, ideas, and opinions; hopes and fears were expressed; participants adopted different communicative postures; and the interactions, which can be thought of as group problem-solving attempts, also followed group development stages. Possible differences between face-to-face and computer-mediated rumor interactions are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.