How does rumors start

As a result, kids that are trying to fit in or climb the social ladder might use gossip and rumors as a tool to gain popularity. Some teens want to be in control and at the top of the social ladder. When kids are at the top of the social ladder or are determined to climb higher, they sometimes accomplish that by diminishing the status of another person.

They also tend to use gossip and rumors to get back at someone who they feel deserves to be hurt. Making up a rumor or spreading gossip sometimes satisfies their need for revenge. Research indicates that boredom is often the number one reason why teens spread rumors. As a result, they resort to rumors and gossip to spice things up and make life more exciting. When teens are being gossiped about or if someone is spreading rumors, there are a number of things that they can do to cope with it.

For instance, your teen could stop dwelling on what other people are saying or go directly to the source and confront the issue. The key is to find a way to address the gossiping and rumor spreading that is comfortable for your child. Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy.

Front Psychol. Levesque RJR Editor. Encyclopedia of Adolescence. TeensHealth from Nemours. Someone is spreading rumors about me. Laugeson EA. Franklin L. Gender Macmillan Insights in Psychology series. Red Globe Press.

Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFamily. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. A lack of concrete information from a reliable source can prompt interested parties to rely more heavily on rumor and innuendo instead of assuming that no news is good news.

There are some occasions in which rumors start from actual truths, but the facts become too intermingled with gossip or misinformation to be of much use. Rumors surrounding politicians and other public figures are often wrapped around a small nugget of truth, but the details have been deliberately exaggerated or downplayed depending on the slant or bias of the person who recounts it. Unfortunately, a number of people consider rumor and gossip to be more compelling than straight facts, so many media-based rumors start in an effort to sell more magazines or attract more viewers.

Sometimes rumors die a quick death as the true facts emerge and people lose interest in perpetuating a myth or gossip. Other times the rumormongers are discredited before the rumors have a chance to travel down the grapevine.

Unfortunately, some rumors do gain traction and become confused with actual fact until either a respected authority debunks them or the subject of those rumors can successfully acquit himself or herself in the court of public opinion. Make sure you tell it in an interesting way so they will want to tell it to others.

Always make sure they don't use your name when they tell others. Not Helpful 15 Helpful What is the best way to start a rumor if I have no access to social media and need to say it verbally? If you have a rumor in mind, tell some people with whom who you are slightly friends. If you are close friends, they most likely will not spread it. Not Helpful 10 Helpful Starting rumors sometimes brings more people into the problem than needs to be involved. Rather than starting a rumor, tell your best friends how you honestly feel about her.

If they tell anyone, you're not exactly at the fault of the problem. However, telling your friends to tell other people will just make your girlfriend angry and even more horrible. If you're really not happy, why not just take a break from your relationship? Not Helpful 18 Helpful Normally when a rumor is shared, it'll spread like a wildfire.

But if it isn't that big of a rumor, it'll normally fade away and will be forgotten. There isn't much you can do to stop people from talking about it though. Not Helpful 12 Helpful Not Helpful 8 Helpful How would I start a rumor about a man and a woman that gossip about other people?

Follow them around and see what they do daily. Then, make up a rumor about it, especially one that invlves them both. Not Helpful 9 Helpful Help them find something that they're good at, and encourage them, whether that be playing an instrument, writing stories, playing a sport, etc.

Not Helpful 20 Helpful Fighting is not the answer. Simple deny the rumor and move on. Let them look foolish with trying to spread rumors about you that aren't true. If they are hurtful and mean spirited you can always talk to your parents, teacher or principal.

Not Helpful 14 Helpful If the information you're trying to spread about yourself is "juicy" of intense interest to people or scandalous , all you'll need to do is tell someone who's a big mouth and the rest will take care of itself. But why on earth would you want to do that? Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Try a small, harmless rumor first as a test run. A trial run may help you figure out who can spread your rumors in the future.

Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0. Rumors don't have to be negative, you can always start a rumor to make yourself look good instead. Helpful 1 Not Helpful 3. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Be aware that you may face consequences for spreading false information at work, school, or if you slander a person publicly. Helpful 27 Not Helpful Never use rumors to bully someone.

Making up stories just to pick on someone is wrong. Helpful 34 Not Helpful Be prepared for the day when you are found out. If your target commands you to publicly admit to spreading malicious rumours, do it there and then! Helpful 11 Not Helpful 9.

Related wikiHows How to. How to. Co-authors: Updated: October 20, Categories: Gossip and Rumors. Article Summary X Before starting a rumor, choose just one or two key details to focus on so the rumor will seem authentic.

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 83, times.