“Current notions of the determinants of rumor spread and distortion were tested in a field experiment… . Evidence is presented indicating that under conditions of wide-spread cognitive unclarity there is far more transmission of a planted rumor and far more speculation involving new rumors when the issue is important than when it is relatively unimportant… . In distinct contrast to expectations created by studies using the technique of serial reproduction, there is absolutely no indication of distortion of the planted rumor.” (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)