A moral panic is a feeling of fear spread among a large number of people that some evil threatens the well-being of society. A Dictionary of Sociology defines a moral panic as "the process of arousing social concern over an issue – usually the work of moral entrepreneurs and the mass media".
The media are key players in the dissemination of moral indignation, even when they do not appear to be consciously engaged in crusading or muckraking. Simply reporting the facts can be enough to generate concern, anxiety, or panic. Stanley Cohen states that moral panic happens when "a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests". Examples of moral panic include the belief in widespread abduction of children by predatory paedophiles, belief in ritual abuse of women and children by satanic cults, the War on Drugs, and other public health issues.
According to Stanley Cohen, often considered the researcher who first coined the term "moral panic", there are five key stages in the construction of a moral panic:
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Someone, something or a group are defined as a threat to social norms or community interests
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The threat is then depicted in a simple and recognizable symbol/form by the media
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The portrayal of this symbol rouses public concern
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There is a response from authorities and policy makers
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The moral panic over the issue results in social changes within the community
According to Goode and Ben-Yehuda, moral panic consists of the following characteristics:
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Concern – There must be the belief that the behaviour of the group or activity deemed deviant is likely to have a negative effect on society
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Hostility – Hostility toward the group in question increases, and they become "folk devils". A clear division forms between "them" and "us"
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Consensus – Though concern does not have to be nationwide, there must be widespread acceptance that the group in question poses a very real threat to society. It is important at this stage that the "moral entrepreneurs" are vocal and the "folk devils" appear weak and disorganized
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Disproportionality – The action taken is disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the accused group;
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Volatility – Moral panics are highly volatile and tend to disappear as quickly as they appeared because public interest wanes or news reports change to another narrative.