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First coined by Jock Young (1971) in Cohen·s ¶Images of Deviance· (1972)

Analytic descriptive concept used to define a deviant group or event in a

particular segment of society ² characterized by a heightened sense of panic
and exaggerated threat ² quick in emergence and subsidence.
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Cohen, Lemert and Becker studied how power officials were able to give and
take power to certain groups in society.
Cohen researched group behaviour as part of post grad and witnessed the
Mods and Rocker phenomenon
Observed how the groups were stereotyped by the media and thus acted out
accordingly
Stated that the media were the actors whom conveyed the panic and the public
accepted and ran with it.
Cohen identified 5 central factors which conveyed a MP
 u  ² emphasised and stereotyped group

 ² Exaggerated sense of threat and hostility towards perceived group

   ² Broadened and enforced by implementing laws

 ² Take side of moral high route to win public opinion

² fight against perceived threat for good of ¶repressed·

victims.
 Cohen described a MP as a group response to threat

He stated that this is not unusual

Society is known to periodically witness and experience MP

Reflective of societal norms and values

Useful for researchers to understand important morals in society at any given

time
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Said to have given most descriptive analysis of MP by various researchers

Compared MP to collective behaviour in that rumour mongering, fear and
exaggerated sense of threat occur
Also compared MP to national disasters
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Both go through same phases H/E National disaster does not contain folk devils

  ² event occurs

v!   ² media state damage

  ² victims ¶saved·

 ² law enforcement

   ² Action

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Identified factors which occurred during MP

² general grievance against group

$ ² sudden eruption of events

  ² public generally in agreement over ¶folk devils·

!        ² exaggerated fears

v ² numbers stated by media at higher rate than actual

occurrence
 Disproportionality is said to be the most significant factor in any MP
Many individuals experience heightened fear, threat etc. due to the
disproportionate levels stated
However criticised by theorists as we don·t know if views were proportionate
pre or post MP
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Moral Panic situations are relatively short lived however some of them actually
never truly die out
Single mothers, immigration, benefit cheats
Moral panics said to thus give power to officials and higher in society. (Hall
1978)
MP can centre around serious or trivial events
Serious; Terrorism, immigration, HIV
Trivial; Black mugger, comic book violence

Swine Flu
  

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Interprets MP from a Marxist perspective

States that MP are simply a way of the powerful elite to divert attention from
a crisis in capitalism
Those with power use MP in order to repress the weak in society
Black Mugging was an example of this
Crisis taken away from Britain in economic recession
Attention placed on immigration and crime laws
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Intro the notion that power lies with those who are able to describe and
define a situation
Labelling will result in the group acting and behaving differently due to self
fulfilling prophecy
Suggests that deviance is not natural - constructed by those who hold power
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Examined the key dynamics of the labelling process

Stated that the process is simply to justify the control and exclusion of
vulnerable groups in society
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Ëoffman stated that Stigma serves to show the impact that MP creates
Power is gained over the weak by producing certain stigmatizing labels
Public thus view those individuals in different light
Treated differently and thus act differently.
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1950·S US fear violence in Comic books aimed at children ² resulted in mass

clean outs and burnings of comics in question
1960·S British Mods and Rockers ² blown out of proportion and actually
caused more riots due to labelling theory
1970·S Black Mugger ² see Stuart Hall (1978)
1980·S Baby boom
1990·S drug and rave/rap culture
2000·s Terrorism
2010 ² Obesity ² childhood


 
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MMR vaccine and Autism link

Childhood violence and video games
Ëun and Knife crime
Millennium bug
Internet technology
Exercise and heart disease
Smoking
Iraq and WMD
Cervical cancer (Jade Ëoody)
MRSA ¶Call of Duty·
Britain·s Debt crisis
Pornography
IVF designer babies
 
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Does the term constitute official sociological category ² no methodology or

empirical evidence
Ëroups/deviants looked at as victims
Emphasis taken away from actual victims
Overstate power of the media
Underestimate power of excluded groups to re-label ² Ëay men.
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Cohen, Becker, Lemert et al all give descriptions and analysis re MP

State that the media·s sole purpose is to create MP in order to control society
Use own views and emphasize significance in order to pass agenda outwith
politics
Criticised ² Do we emulate the media or does the media emulate our views
and morals?