The watercooler effect

the long version

Shows that the process that gives rise to national rumors is fundamentally the same as those that arise around the company watercooler. Why do some rumors persist even in the face of well-publicized facts to the contrary? Why do we pass on information without verifying that it's true? DiFonzo explains how rumors stem from our deeply rooted motivation to make sense of the world and are a window into both individual and group psychology.