Moral Panics

Question 1

Moral panic

Answer 1

A moral panic is a widespread, irrational fear of something, or someone, that people believe is threatening the moral structure, values, and security of a community or a whole society.

Question 2

Media and Moral panic

Answer 2

The media’s representations of crime may actually cause even more crime by creating a MORAL PANIC!
Stan Cohen said that a Moral Panic is an exaggerated, irrational, over reaction by society to a problem.
It starts with the media identifying a group of people, or an individual, as a threat to society’s values, by exaggerating how serious the problem is using sensationalised reporting.

Question 3

5 stages of moral panic

Answer 3

Someone or something is defined as a threat to social norms

The media begin to depict the threat in a stereotypical way

Widespread public concern arises from the heightened media attention

There is a response from the authorities - politicians/police/CJS

Social change occurs in the form of new laws or policy changes

Question 4

Folk Devil

Answer 4

A ‘folk devil’ is the person, or group, at the centre of the moral panic (the deviant).

Question 5

Main players in a Moral Panic

Answer 5

The Folk Devil - the perceived threat to social norms
The media - breaking the news & setting the agenda, constant reporting/interviews etc
The public - panic & hysteria, demanding something be done about the problem
The authorities - police/CJS response to the ‘Folk Devils’
Politicians - fan the flames, increasing public concern over the threat. Respond with policy changes