ABSTRACT
This chapter sets out to trace the evolution of research on the ‘word of mouth’ as a mode of transmission for conspiracy theories. The fragmented conspiracy theories transmitted orally have been mostly studied by social psychologists, sociologists and folklorists, who have come up with their own specific terminology. The girl was retelling a sexual dream about the teacher to her classmates, and, by repetition and transmission, it grew into the larger conspiracy theory about the teacher committing and concealing improper acts. Influenced by Jung, a lot of research followed on the loss and transformation of information taking place during the transmission of rumour and related folk narratives. Drawing on the pioneering work of F. C. Bartlett, folklorist Walter Anderson continued the experiments on the transmission of legends. In addition, folklorists paid a lot of attention to the content and form of the genre, in particular the fluidity of legends and the belief factor defining their transmission.
