Moral Panics Flashcards
What is a folk devil?
The group who the media is focusing on and whose being targeted for exaggerated reporting
Folk devils are often subjects of moral panic.
What does Deviancy Amplification refer to?
A consequence of a moral panic where a group becomes more deviant as a result of media exaggeration of their deviance
It is very similar to self-fulfilling prophecy.
What are moral panics?
Occurs when someone or something is defined by the media as a threat to the values or interests of society
This happens when a folk devil has been created.
Who is a key theorist associated with moral panics?
Stanley Cohen
Cohen discussed moral panics in his 1972 book ‘Folk Devils and Moral Panics’.
What does Stanley Cohen suggest about moral panic?
A condition, episode, person or group of people emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests
Media play an important role in enforcing moral panic by just reporting the news
How does the media contribute to moral panics?
The media overreacts or sensationalizes aspects of behavior that challenge social norms
This representation can lead to outsiders adopting and observing the behavior based on what they see in the media.
What can be an extreme result of moral panic as depicted by the media?
Mass hysteria within society
The general public may believe that reported events are occurring everywhere in society - Percieved Deviance Amplification
List the 5 stages of a moral panic.
- Something or someone is defined as a threat to values or interests
- threat depicted in an easily recognizable form by the media
- rapid buildup of public concern
- response from authorities or opinion makers
- The panic recedes or results in social changes
Who studied the Mods and Rockers in relation to moral panic?
Stanley Cohen
His study focused on the relationship between the media and these youth subcultures in the 1960s.
What were the Mods and Rockers known for?
Mods rode scooters and dressed in smart clothes like suits; Rockers rode larger motorbikes and dressed in leathers.
What event escalated media attention on Mods and Rockers?
A bank holiday weekend in Clacton in 1964 where both groups visited to party
Minor acts of vandalism and violence occurred, leading to increased media coverage.
What happened during the Brighton bank holiday in 1964?
There was minor vandalism and violence between the Mods and Rockers, but media presence exaggerated the reports.
How did exaggerated media reporting affect the police response?
The police began to police future Mods and Rockers events more heavily and were more likely to arrest youths for deviant behavior.
What was a consequence of exaggerated media reporting on Mods and Rockers?
It led to the groups opposing each other, which wasn’t the case before media exaggeration.
What critique does Cohen’s moral panic theory face?
It assumes that audiences are passive, while today they are more active and critical of media content.
