The Psychology of Rumor – Gordon Allport and Leo Postman – 1947, Henry Holt and Company

What the Book Explores

In the study of human interaction and the transmission of unofficial information, Gordon Allport and Leo Postman’s 1947 work, The Psychology of Rumor, remains a fundamental text. The authors examine the mechanics behind how stories move through a population, specifically focusing on the distortions that occur as information is passed from one individual to another. At the heart of their inquiry is the observation that a rumor is not merely a piece of false news, but rather a psychological phenomenon that reflects the anxieties, desires, and cognitive patterns of the community in which it circulates.

The work introduces what the authors call the ‘Basic Law of Rumor,’ summarized by a simple formula: the amount of rumor in circulation varies with the importance of the subject to the individuals concerned times the ambiguity of the evidence. Allport and Postman argue that when a topic is significant yet the facts are unclear, a vacuum is created that human cognition naturally seeks to fill. This filling of the void is rarely a faithful reproduction of facts; instead, it is a creative process of reconstruction.

A significant portion of the book is dedicated to three cognitive processes that the authors identified through laboratory experiments and field observations:

Leveling: This refers to the tendency for a rumor to become shorter, more concise, and more easily grasped as it travels. Details are omitted, and the narrative becomes streamlined until it reaches a stable, easily repeatable core.
Sharpening: While details are lost in leveling, certain features are selectively perceived and emphasized. A specific trait, a dramatic gesture, or a controversial detail becomes the focal point of the narrative, often becoming more prominent than it was in the original occurrence.
Assimilation: This is perhaps the most profound of the three processes. It describes how the rumor is reshaped to fit the existing biases, emotions, and cultural expectations of the listener. A rumor is rarely accepted if it contradicts a person’s fundamental worldview; rather, it is transformed until it aligns with their internal architecture of belief.

The authors explore how these processes function as a form of collective problem-solving. In the absence of authoritative information, a community uses rumor to make sense of a confusing or threatening environment, effectively ‘projecting’ their internal states onto the external world.

Historical / Cultural Context

To understand the significance of this work, one must consider the era in which it was produced. Published shortly after the conclusion of World War II, The Psychology of Rumor was born from a period of intense social instability. During the war, rumors regarding enemy movements, domestic shortages, and fifth-column activities were rampant. Governments were deeply concerned with the impact of ‘war nerves’ and the potential for misinformation to degrade public morale.

Allport and Postman were involved in ‘Rumor Clinics’ during the 1940s—efforts by social scientists to track, analyze, and debunk harmful rumors in real-time. This practical background informs the scholarly nature of the book. It reflects a transition in social psychology from a focus on individual behavior to a deeper investigation of mass behavior and collective cognition. The work also sits at the intersection of emerging communication theory and classical psychology, acknowledging that the way a society communicates is inseparable from the way it thinks.

Within the broader scope of Oraclepedia’s themes, this book serves as a bridge between the study of folklore and the study of modern media. Allport and Postman treat the rumor as a ‘transitory myth.’ Just as ancient myths were passed down and reshaped to reflect the values of a society, rumors serve a similar, albeit more ephemeral, function in the modern age. They allow for the manifestation of archetypal fears and hopes in a contemporary setting, providing a window into the collective psyche of a people during times of crisis.

Who This Book Is For

This work is primarily addressed to those with an interest in social psychology, sociology, and the history of communication. Because the prose is disciplined and methodical, it appeals to academic readers seeking a foundational understanding of social cognition. However, the themes are accessible enough for the general reader curious about why misinformation spreads so effectively and why people are prone to believing and repeating unsubstantiated reports.

Researchers of folklore will find value in the book’s analysis of how oral traditions are shaped. Similarly, those interested in the ‘psychology of belief’ will find the concept of ‘assimilation’ particularly relevant, as it provides a framework for understanding how cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias influence the narrative structures of everyday life. It is an essential reference for anyone seeking to look beneath the surface of social trends and understand the underlying mechanisms of human perception and collective anxiety.

Improvised News: A Sociological Study of Rumor by Tamotsu Shibutani (1966). This work expands on Allport and Postman by viewing rumor as a collective social process of ‘making sense’ in times of institutional failure.
Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies by C.G. Jung (1958). While Allport and Postman focus on cognitive distortion, Jung explores the symbolic and archetypal dimensions of what he calls ‘visionary rumors.’
When Prophecy Fails by Leon Festinger, Henry Riecken, and Stanley Schachter (1956). This study investigates what happens to belief systems when central predictions are disproven, offering a deeper look at the ‘assimilation’ process mentioned by Allport and Postman.
The Fine Art of Propaganda by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis (1939). This provides a contemporary context for the types of intentional information manipulation that Allport and Postman were seeking to understand.