Gossip and Rumors: What The Words Mean
So what ARE rumors, exactly? Is there a difference between a rumor and a piece of gossip?
Well, this is what characterizes a rumor: * A rumor is a piece of information or a story that has not been verified, meaning that the person telling it doesn't know if it's true or false. * Rumors spread from person to person, or can spread from one person to a whole bunch of people at once. * Rumors can change slightly each time they're told, so they get more exaggerated over time. * Most people who spread rumors don't care if the story is true of not, and don't bother to check it out. * A rumor might be true, it might be partially true and partially made up, or it might be totally made up. Unless somebody can definitely say that a story is real or fake, it will stay a rumor.
Here's a good example of a rumor: "I heard that anybody who fails the next history test is going to have to repeat the course over the summer."
Gossip, on the other hand, is a little different: * Gossip is talk that is somehow "juicy," meaning it deals with subjects that are shocking or personal. * Gossip is usually about things like love and relationships, or private things that people don't talk openly about. * Gossip about a person is usually spread behind that person's back. * Gossip can be true, false, or a rumor. * When a piece of gossip is known to be false, it's a lie, plain and simple. * Someone who spreads a lot of gossip can be called "a gossip." * If a piece of gossip about somebody is true, it can still be very hurtful because that information may be private and personal.
Here's an example of gossip: "Jane told me that when she tried to ask Craig out to a movie, he got so nervous that he almost fainted!"

Different Types of Gossip and Rumors
Not all types of rumors and gossip are alike, and some can be more hurtful and damaging than others.
Slander
* Slander is when people spread rumors or lies about a person in order to purposely cause pain or damage. Maybe they want to see this person humiliated or turn others against him or her. They make up lies or pass on embarrassing rumors that probably aren't true. * Most of the time, we only hear the word "slander" associated with adult conflicts, but it applies to young people as well. * When slander is in written form, it's called libel. You've probably heard lots of stories about celebs suing tabloid newspapers because the papers have published libel against them. The celebs usually win! * Slander is one of the most dangerous types of rumors, because the whole point is to hurt somebody. * An example: "Teresa is a big cheat. She cheats off anyone she sits next to, so don't ever sit near her." This is hurtful to Teresa because not only is she being accused of doing something against the rules, her friends may stop sitting with her in class.
Dishing
* You may hear people say, "Give me the dish!" or "Let's dish the dirt!" Dishing is another word for gossiping, and a kind of general spreading of rumors and gossip that people don't usually think twice about. * It's a little different than slander, because most of the time, people don't dish with the aim of causing someone pain and humiliation. However, sometimes it does just that. * An example: "I asked Jenny what it was like to hold Andrew's hand, and she said it was all clammy and sweaty." This was probably an innocent question and answer driven by curiosity, but if it gets back to Andrew, he'll feel totally embarrassed!
Fears or Concerns * Many rumors tap into people's common fears, and this makes them sound true even though they usually are not. * These are often rumors that involve the threat of physical danger, the unknown and unfamiliar, and things that are gross or way-out weird. * An example: "I hear that the cafeteria meatloaf is made from rats they catch in the school basement."

Jokes or Wild Stories * Sometimes rumors start out as silly jokes, then get spread around and changed over and over again. When lots of people are telling the same tale, it makes it seem more like the truth. You might think, "How can all these people be wrong?" * When these rumors last long enough and spread far enough, they actually become part of our culture, often called "Urban Legends," "Modern Legends," or "Urban Myths." * An example: "Did you hear that when it's halftime at the Super Bowl, water supplies across the U.S. get used up? It's because of all the people going to the bathroom at the same time!"
Misinformation
* Many rumors are just about people getting things wrong, or believing in exaggerations. Often people will swear up and down that they know something to be true when, in reality, they're just passing on a rumor they've heard from someone. * An example of a rumor that's just misinformation: "I heard that it's okay to drive five miles an hour above the speed limit. The police can't give you a ticket unless you go faster than that." For the record, this is not true. The speed limit is the speed limit, but this rumor is so widespread that people often use it as an excuse with police officers who are writing them speeding tickets! Cyber-Gossip * If you've ever heard something juicy in an online chat room or in an IM from a friend, you know that the Internet has made it easy to spread a rumor to lots of people with lightning-fast speed. "Cyber-gossip" can involve any of the other types mentioned here. * It's easy for people to feel less responsible when starting a rumor online, especially if they're able to do it anonymously. Remember that starting a rumor this way, or passing it on, can be even more damaging than if it's done in person because of how many eyes it can reach in a short period of time. * A hurtful rumor that's spread through cyber-gossip should be taken just as seriously as any other kind of rumor.

Why Do People Do It?
Let's say you've just heard a REALLY juicy rumor about someone you know. It may not be true, but it's too good to keep to yourself. Your first instinct is to hop online and IM it to all your friends.
We've all had that kind of urge. But why? Here are some possible reasons:
Girls whispering to one another to feel superior
When people are feeling bad about themselves, they sometimes think they'll feel better if there were someone worse off than they are. It's like, it's okay being near the bottom, as long as they're not actually on the bottom. The easiest way for them to make sure someone else is on the bottom is to make up a rumor that puts him or her there.
To feel like part of the group
If everybody else is gossiping or spreading rumors, you might feel you have to do the same thing in order to fit in. When you're "in on the secret," you're in the group. Unfortunately, the person who the gossip or rumor is about is usually left out of the group for the same reason that you're let into it.
For attention
When you know a secret that nobody knows, or are the first person in your group to hear a rumor, it can make you the center of attention. A rumor or piece of gossip is sometimes like money; telling it to people is like buying their attention, if only for a few minutes. You might even save up a really scandalous rumor, waiting for the right moment to blab so you get the maximum amount of attention for it.
For control or power
Certain people always want to be in control and at the top of the ladder. You probably know at least one person who needs to be the leader, say what goes, and make all the decisions. When people are at the top of the popularity scale, or are determined to climb higher, one way they do this is by reducing the "status" of another person. Spreading rumors and gossip is one of the main ways people reduce another person's status, especially among girls. It's like one caveman beating up another caveman for control of the tribe-only it's done with cruel whispers and petty remarks instead of fists.
Out of jealousy or a need for revenge
If you're jealous of someone's looks, popularity, or money, you might gossip about that person in order to hurt him or her. If you feel that someone's done something bad to you, or deserves to be hurt, making up a rumor might satisfy your sense of justice.

Out of boredom
Did you know that in many studies, this was the #1 reason why young people say they spread rumors? Sometimes, a period where everyone is happy and getting along just seems kind of-dull. Spreading juicy dish might shake things up a bit, or get two people to start a fight, and that would make life a little more exciting. All those tabloid newspapers and TV shows full of celebrity gossip are pure proof that rumors are a popular form of entertainment.