The Chain Rumor Activity
Mr. Anthony started the activity by asking for four volunteers. Three of them were asked to leave the class and one was asked to stay. Mr. Anthony read a story to the first volunteer:
A plane named Aquantus 747 was taking off from Bangkok International Airport to Los Angeles. One of the flight attendant named Jack Straw (People’s Revolutionary Army) hijacked the plane with a magnum gun, forcing the pilot, Jane Smith to fly to Cuba. The pilot radioed for help, threw the microphone at him and he fell on the ground. The angry passengers tied him up and the hijacker was arrested.
As demonstrated in the experiment, when they story was retold, information is either changed or lost.
1. leveling: simplifying material
e.g. he was arrested, Jane Smith, angry passengers, Los Angeles, People’s Revolutionary Army: the information was lost
2. sharpening: highlighting or emphasizing some information
e.g. Bangkok International Airport, Microphone: information that was emphasized
3. assimilation: apply personal information to the story
e.g. two pilots, 7:47, terrorist: information added into the story based on one’s prior knowledge
To conclude, this demonstration proves how scary rumors or gossips are. As stories are retold, the information is distorted and therefore; easily misunderstood.
posted by Tat S. @ 12:26 PM
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