Moral Panic Theory

What is the Moral Panic Theory?

The Moral panic theory is the theory that a piece of media text/images will cause a panic or shock to the public.  A moral panic is the intensity of feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to threaten the social order. 

Also moral panics involves a group of fork devils that needs controlling, which will increase social control.  This occurs when popular groups or other social classes face troubled times by society.   

The media created a list of how moral panic is constructed in five ways-    

-Concern- There must be awareness that the behaviour of the groups or category in question is to have a negative impact on society.

-Hostility- 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 very real threat to society. It is important at this stage that the moral entrepreneurs are vocal and the folk devils appear weak and disorganised.

-Dis proportionality – 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.

Example's of Moral Panic

Dungeon and Dragons was a fantasy board game were players get to create their own personal journey.  It was considered a moral panic event because it  has received negative publicity for alleged promotion of such practices as Satanism, witchcraft, suicide, pornography and murder. In the 1980s especially, some religious groups accused the game of encouraging interest in sorcery and the veneration of demons. Throughout the history of role playing games many of these criticisms have been aimed specifically at Dungeons & Dragons, but touch on the genre of fantasy role playing as a whole. It has been suggested that the recent drive to regulate video games is another instance of moral panic over the content of popular culture

An example of moral panic in the media is Amy Winehouse, She is known,celebrity, Alcoholic and Drug abuser.  The media use her as an example for young people, as example of who not to become like.   



Why is moral panic good for music magazine?

Moral panic would be good for music magazines because it will give more articles to publish which means that more people will buy it. 

Also Moral panic is good for music magazines because it can send a positive or negative image of people.