Moral Panic Overview and Key Theorists

Moral Panic Overview

• Moral panic refers to widespread fear that an evil threatens societal well-being, often fueled by media interactions.
• Examples include historical events like the 1980s satanic ritual abuse and the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak.

Folk Devils

• Defined as individuals or groups labeled by the media as deviant, blamed for societal issues.
• These figures often fade from memory but can sometimes inspire significant societal changes, such as new laws or policies.

Key Theorists

• Stanley Cohen introduced the terms "Mods" and "Rockers," highlighting media exaggeration of behavior that challenges social norms.
• Goode and Ben-Yahuda argue that moral panics are socially constructed and can inflict real harm while requiring a shared sense of threat among a group.

Elements of Moral Panic

• Concern: A sincere worry about a perceived social issue.
• Hostility: Identification of an "other" perceived as a threat, instigating fear.
• Consensus: A significant portion of society recognizes the threat as serious and caused by malicious entities.
• Disproportionality: The response to the perceived threat exceeds the actual issue, often leading to societal debates.

Key Players in Moral Panic

• Moral Entrepreneurs: Individuals or groups promoting the panic, including self-proclaimed "experts," media outlets, and political forces.
• Positive Panic: Leaders who label behaviors (either positively or negatively) and spread those labels widely across society.

Models of Moral Panic

• Grassroots Model: Panic originates from public anxiety, escalating during crises perceived as threats to safety.
• Elite Engineering Model: A powerful few manipulate circumstances to induce fear, diverting attention from more pressing issues.
• Interest Group Theory: Focused on moral crusaders aiming to enforce societal rules and norms based on specific interests.

Cohen's Stages of Moral Panic

• Identification of a threat to societal values.
• Media portrayal of this threat in recognizable forms.
• Rapid public concern builds around the issue.
• Responses from authorities or influential figures occur.
• The panic subsides or leads to tangible social changes.

Consequences and Criticism

• Innocent individuals may suffer injustices, and regulatory responses can become extreme relative to the actual threat level.
• Moral panics can oversimplify complex societal issues and distract from more significant problems.
• Criticism arises from the term "panic," suggesting irrationality, as well as the challenge of defining what constitutes a proportional response.