The Runaway Grandmother Brunevand Summary

Behrens, Laurence, and Leonard J. Rosen, editors. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum.
Pearson, 2016.
Brunvand, Jan Harold. “The Runaway Grandmother.” Behrens and Rosen, pp. 504-10.
Brunvand collected many short stories that revolved around a deceased grandmother, but each story varied in location, origin, timing, and purpose. People manipulated the context of the story to completely change the moral of the story to either amuse, frighten, or inform their audience. He talks about how a rumor can equally be manipulated as an urban legend would. I would use this source to explain what rumors say about the general public. I would also explain how some rumors can be traced and how people tend to believe them even though the evidence suggest

they are false.
“A Conversation with Nicholas DiFonzo on Rumor Psychology.” YouTube, uploaded by Rochester Institute of Technology, 24 June 2008, www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4VN6NFFYV4. Accessed 13 Mar. 2017.
DiFonzo effectively talks about what a rumor is and why people spread them. He then explains four reasons why people believe rumors and how to properly manage them. I intend to use DiFonzo’s main points throughout the whole research paper. I will list the mechanisms of a rumor, how and why rumors start, and why people believe rumors in the first place.
Glenn, Alan. “’Paul is Dead!’ (said Fred).” Behrens and Rosen, pp. 499-503.
Fred LaBour claimed that Paul McCartney, the lead vocalist, has been dead all along and The Beatles found someone to fill in for him.

Fred used songs and album covers as evidence to help support his claim. People believed the rumor because the “clues” he discovered were addicting and people wanted to piece the puzzle together. In the end, right before Fred had an interview on live television, he admitted the rumor was just a huge hoax. I can use this source to help answer what rumors suggest about us and why we always seek the truth. Even though the fame was unintentional, I can use this source, to explain how a rumor can be used for personal

gain.
Knapp, Robert H. “A Psychology of Rumor.” Behrens and Rosen, pp. 496-98.
Robert H.

Knapp believed that human emotion and rumors go hand in hand due to fears, hatred, and desires. These classifications are then followed by rules of what makes a great rumor. This source will further help me explain why rumors spread and why people believe them. I can also explain how some human characteristics vary between individuals and attract different crowds with different rumors.
Mikkelson, David. “KFC Mutant Chickens.” Snopes, 03 Mar. 2014,
www.snopes.com/food/tainted/kfc.asp. Accessed 13 Mar. 2017.
Rumors can target anyone and anything, including franchise restaurants, like KFC. Mikkelson explains how KFC was targeted for not using “real chickens” but the rumor is shut down by facts and statistics. In the end, the rumor is analyzed and countered, to prove the rumor was false. I will use this source to explain how we can stop and neutralize rumors with facts.
Rodriguez, Gregory. “Truth Is in the Ear of the Beholder.” Behrens and Rosen, pp. 484-85.
Rodriguez believes that people hear what they want to hear. He thinks listeners are biased and will side with their predisposed belief system. He also claims that rumors are formed by our desires. I will use this source to help explain why people believe rumors even though the evidence suggests the rumor is false. I will also analyze how rumors confirm what people already expect to be

true.
Salmans, Sandra. “Fighting That Old Devil Rumor.” Behrens and Rosen, pp. 491-94.
A good rumor tends to stick like glue. Procter and Gamble’s company took massive heat because people believed they were Satanists. The bizarre rumor started because people noticed “666” and “devil horns” on their logo. The rumors and allegations were so severe the company had to clear their name through legal court. The lawyers traced the rumors back to Procter and Gamble’s competitors who wanted to slander their name to enhance their sales. This source can help explain why people spread rumors for professional or personal gain. This source can also be used to explain how to neutralize a rumor.
Singal, Jesse. “How to Fight a Rumor.” Behrens and Rosen, pp. 512-16.
The best way to debunk a rumor is to understand what a rumor is and why they spread. Rumors are around because people want to learn the facts. Obama used a website to answer any negative rumors that surfaced throughout his campaign. Professionals say this was a bold move and the best way to debunk the rumors. Singal also explains how people use rumors for personal gain in professionalism. People spread selected rumors to further increase popularity. This source will help explain how to stop and neutralize rumors.