title: Threat-Related Information Suggests Competence: A Possible Factor in the Spread of Rumors.
abstract: Information about potential danger is a central component of many rumors, urban legends, ritual prescriptions, religious prohibitions and witchcraft crazes. We investigate a potential factor in the cultural success of such material, namely that a source of threat-related information may be intuitively judged as more competent than a source that does not convey such information. In five studies, we asked participants to judge which of two sources of information, only one of which conveyed threat-related information, was more knowledgeable. Results suggest that mention of potential danger makes a source appear more competent than others, that the effect is not due to a general negativity bias, and that it concerns competence rather than a more generally positive evaluation of the source.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America; Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America; University of Lyon, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.affiliation: University of Lyon, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D001290:Attitude; D003142:Communication; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D060145:Text Messaging