Do You Suffer From: Moral Panic?

A moral panic can be defined as "the intensity of feeling expressed by a large number of people about a specific group of people who appear to threaten the social order at a given time."


Stanley Cohen, author of the book Folk Devils and Moral Panics says moral panic is 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 cultural values, are known by researchers as "moral entrepreneurs", while those targeted are known as a "folk devil". They are byproducts of controversies that produce arguments and social tension, or aren't easily discussed as some of these moral panics are taboo to many people.

The media have long operated as agents of moral indignation, even if they are not self-consiously engaged in crusading or muckraking. Simply reporting the facts can be enough to generate concern, anxiety or panic.

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