Serial Transmission of Information: A Study of the Grapevine.

In order to test the conclusions of previous studies of the informal communication system commonly known as the "grapevine," a study was conducted of the flow of one unit of information over the organizational grapevine. One of the experimenters planted a unit of information with two secretaries in the departmental office of Speech and Theatre at Western Kentucky University. Three days later questionnaires were given to all members of the organization (fifteen full-time faculty, eight graduate students, and five secretaries) to determine the flow of the grapevine. Results substantiate most of the previous research findings and show that as an effective and rapid means of communication, the grapevine tends to follow a cluster pattern of communication, that persons communicate primarily with other persons within a functional group, and that information is transformed as it reaches its final destination. (Figures illustrating the text are included.) (JM)