Impacts of Media Representation Flashcards
Give 8 impacts of media representation
1.) moral panic/folk devils
2.) public concerns and attitudes
3.) perceptions of crime trends
4.) stereotyping of criminals
5.) levels of response to crime and punishment
6.) changing priorities
What is moral panic?
disproportionate public fears about something which might threaten the moral values of society.
How does the media create moral panic?
by creating powerful headlines, using symbolism, repetition, exaggeration, and prediction, to highlight their points.
Give 3 examples of past moral panics
- witch trials in 1600s
- mods and rockers in 1960s
- war on drugs in 1980s
What are folk devils?
an individual or group in society held responsible for perceived threat involved in a moral panic.
What was ‘Prevent’?
a counterterrorism strategy introduced after 9/11, aiming to intervene before terrorist attacks happened. however, it led to discrimination against minority groups, especially muslims. it targeted young people - they were often questioned by police and teachers, with no prior warning and no parental consent.
When does Stanley Cohen say moral panics and folk devils occur?
moral panics occur when a situation, person or group becomes seen as a threat to societal values. these become ‘folk devils’.
How do moral panics form and evolve?
1.) identification of a problem
2.) identification of a subversive minority
3.) simplification of a cause
4.) stigmatisation of those involved
5.) stirring of public indignation
6.) stamping down hard
7.) more authoritarian forms of control
What is Leslie Wilkin’s deviancy amplification spiral?
- the media keep on reporting it.
- panic continues.
- police step in to control it.
- but this leads to more deviance, not less.
- so the authorities come down harder on it.
- the deviance gets worse.
What is social control?
strategies and institutions that societies use to regulate individual and group behaviour in order to maintain social order, conformity, and cohesion.
What is formal social control and how is it enforced?
- enforced through laws, regulations, and formal institutions like the police, courts, and government.
- involves coercion and the possibility of punishment for non-compliance, eg fines or imprisonment.
What is informal social control and how is it enforced?
- enforced through unwritten social norms, customs, and expectations.
- it operates through socialisation and peer pressure, where deviance may result in social sanctions such as disapproval, exclusion, or gossip.
What were the main public concerns in the 1950s-1970s?
youth subcultures eg mods and rockers. rising concerns about drugs, sexuality, and rock music - all viewed as threats to the moral fabric of society.
What were the main public concerns in the 1980s-1990s?
drug use, satanic rituals, violent media eg video games, gang violence, rap music, corruption of youth.
What were the main public concerns in the 2000s?
terrorism after 9/11, immigration - fear of outsiders and the ‘dangers’ they supposedly posed to national security.
