Moral Panics

Today we learnt about the structure of the moral panics audience theory.

CONCERN: That the behaviour of the group or category in question is likely to have a negative impact on society

HOSTILITY: Towards the group in question increases, and they become 'folk devils'. A clear division form between 'them' and 'us'

CONSENUS: A widespread acceptance that the group in question poses a very real threat to society

DISPROPORTIONALITY: The action taken is disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the accused group

VOLATILITY: Moral panics are highly volatile and tend to disappear as quickly as they appeared due to a wave in public interest or news reports changing to another topic.

Recent panics include:

• video games
• online activity
• campus killing/knife and gun crime/gangs and YouTube
• texting, internet and literacy
• electronic media and obesity
• screen/web addiction
• social skills in decline due to internet