Examining the "ways in which people caught in crisis situations develop a working orientation . . ." The book presents an exploratory study of rumors as indicative of social change. The study gives attention to (1) alternative conceptions of rumor, (2) the failure of formal news channels, (3) problem-solving through deliberation, (4) suggestibility and behavioral contagion, (5) the formation of popular beliefs, (6) sociological theory of rumor, and (7) the political manipulation of rumor. A list of case studies is included in the appendix.

Includes bibliographical references and index.