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Moral panic is a “morally sensitive�? idea or social occurance, sometimes described as “deviant behaviour,�? that is in opposition to the traditional ideologies of established societies and hierarchies. Moral panic occurs when there are manifestations of bahaviour that are markedly difference from accepted social behaviour and values (Cohen, 1972).
The term "moral panic" was created by British sociologist Stanley Cohen in his 1972 book, Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of Mods and Rockers. (ISBN 0261100211)
The mass media are a large contributor to particular moral panics developing to a state of public hysteria, due to the high intensity of exposure that some issues receive (Gem Bosworth, 2004). For example, the manner in which Hurricane Katrina in the United States in August of 2005 was handled by the US government caused international media outrage, with controversial stories surrounding the event covering almost every page of daily newspapers.
The media has the power to embellish a moral panic so that the panic becomes an unwarranted part of the public agenda, and can lead to mass hysteria, in extreme cases. Sometimes, however, the mass media can open up the way for discussion of what could be an important public issue, which could stem from a moral panic (Gem Bosworth, 2004).
A well-known example of moral panic in history is the persectution of Jews during the Nazi regime in the 1930s to 1940s (Burns, 2000), which stemmed from a mass media campaign by those with the ruling authority in order to manipulate the people into accepting the rule of the government. This particular moral panic resulted in millions of people killed, the effects of which still resonate in contemporary society.
A classic example of moral panic is the European witch-hunt (Victor, 1998). Again, this panic was generated by the governing authority (the Church), which felt a threat from a socially deviant group of people. The witch-hunt moral panic is estimated to have accounted for over one hundred thousand deaths. (Ben-Yehuda 1981; Levack 1987).
Moral Panic has been a public concern since the advent of the concepts such as ideology, paradigms, discourse, and social conscience. Critics of the media, one example being Michael Moore, have continually expounded the media's ability to manipulate the public, and the government's ability to manipulate the media. A common theme in social commentary has been the ability of ruling authorities to create moral panic and then take precautions against the perceived danger, in order to convinve the masses that the ruling authority can 'look after' the people (Wilson, 2005).
A contemporary example would be the Australian government's current social marketing campaign against terrorism. While the advertisements have not been graphic in depictions of terrorism, there is a constant underlying message that there is a possible threat to the public. The advertisements then counteract the effects of this 'threat' by reassuring the public that the government will keep the people safe with cooperation from the masses. This is one way in which ruling authorities can use moral panics to control the public at large, and is a central issue in discussing moral panic.
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Ben-Yehuda, N. (1981) "Problems Inherent in Socio-Historical Approaches to the European Witch Craze," Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion vol. 20, no. 4, pp.326-38.
Burns, H. (2000) "What are 'moral panics'?" retrieved October 18, 2005, from http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/hrb9701.html
Cohen, S. (1972) Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of Mods and Rockers London: MacGibbon and Kee. ISBN 0261100211
Levack, B. P. (1987) The witch-hunt in early modern Europe. London: Longman. ISBN 058208069X
Victor, J. S. (1998) "Moral panics and the social construction of deviant behavior: a theory and application to the case of ritual child abuse." retrieved October 18, 2005, from http://cjr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/refs/28/1/26
Wilson, K. (2005) "Moral Panic Notes" retrieved October 18, 2005, from http://www.mediaknowall.com/violence/moralpanicnotes.html
Gem Bosworth 18:56, 16 Sep 2004 (EST)
Lisa Irving 11:50, 19 Oct 2005 (EST)
