Moral Panics

As this video explains, the media is blamed for moral panics due the REpresentation. Cartoon magazines, Films, even music artists are blamed for the actions the public carry out.

As our film is set in the 1950's we would have to consider the moral panics the public feared of in the 50s.
- Drugs and Alcohol
- Young sexual women
- Gun Crime
- Murder



STANLEY COHEN-  'Folk Devils and Moral Panics'
 A moral panic occurs when "[a] condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests"

. Those who start the panic when they fear a threat to prevailing social or cultural values are known by researchers as moral entrepreneurs, while people who supposedly threaten the social order have been described as "folk devils"


Moral Panics have several distinct features.
GOODE + BEN-YEHURDA, moral panic consists of the following characteristics...

. CONCERN- There must be awareness that the behaviour of the group or category in question is likely to have negative impact on society.
. HOSTILITY- towards the group in question increases, and they become "folk devils". A clear division forms between "them" and "us"
. CONSENSUS- Though concern does not have to be nationwide, there must be widespread acceptance that the group in question poses a real threat to society. It is important at this stage that the "moral entrepeneurs" are vocal and the "folk devils" appear weak and disorganised.
. 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 wane in public interest or news reports changing to another topic.