Last lesson on Moral Panics

Last lesson in Media, we learnt all about moral panics in the media.

Typical definition: Abstract concept used to make sense of "irrational public hysteria". Public and academic debate on moral panic works on the assumption that the media plays a significant role in determining the characteristics of a moral panic. Signifies complex processes that shape public perceptions of a perceived threat to the moral code of society.

Processual Model (natural process, media cannot help) --> Attends to process of a moral panic. Seven defined stages (Stanley Cohen's "Folk devils and moral panics" [1973]

1) Emergence - when a form of behaviour becomes perceived as a threat.

2) Media Inventory - explanation of threat is manipulated by media (distortion, exaggeration)

3) Moral Entrepreneurs - groups or organisations speak out and offers solutions.

4) Experts - socially accredited experts who diagnose solutions.

5) Coping of Resolution - reaction of the media, moral entrepreneurs of experts leads to legal reform.

6) Fading Away - the condition disappears, submerges or deteriorates or becomes more visible.

7) Legacy - A panic can have a long term effect or creates big changes in social policy, the law or society's view of itself.

Attribution Model (accusatory - attribute to certain groups) --> Erich Goode + Nachman Ben-Tehudas study, "moral panics: the social construction of deviance" [1994]. Claims those working in the media, political institutions of the legal system impact on moral panics through "claims making". 5 elements or criteria distinguish attributes of moral panics.

1)Concern - A heightened level of concern, measurable through opinion polls etc

2)Hostility - Increased hostility to a group or category seen as an 'enemy' to respectable society (Folk Devils).

3)Consensus - A substantial segment of society agrees that the threat is real or caused by 'wrongdoers'

4)Disproportionality -The reaction by the public is out of proportion to the actual harm.

5)Volatility - The idea that moral panics are volatile (insecure) by nature, erupt quickly but also often subside quietly. Each episode cannot be sustained for long.