Collective Identitites Theorists: Stanley Cohen

To understand the basics of Stanley Cohen 'Moral Panic' theory.


Stanley Cohen- 1987
"When a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as threat to societal values and interests."




Stanley Cohen looked at societal reaction disturbances involving the Mods and Rockers, which took place in Clacton over Easter Bank holiday in 1964.
Mass Media presented the disturbances as a confrontation between "rival gangs"- "hell ben on distruction".
Cohen discovered that the amount of vandalism and violence was not that great. In fact Mass Media exaggerated the confrontation and the cameras didn't even get there till the day after.
The Mods and Rockers created threat to norms and values fights between their vespers and motor bikes.
The media helped plan the next incident in Whitton, by asking "when will this happen again". It was believed that the Mods and Rockers only made the headlines because there was nothing else to cover that day. The Media coverage led to public concern with the Mods and Rockers, this set in motion a deviance set in motion spiral.

The 5 stages leading to moral panic:

1) Someone or somthing is defined as a threat to normal values
2) Threat is depicted as a sterotype by the media
3) A rapid build up of media interest arouses public cocern
4) Authorities respond to threat
5) The panic results in social change

According to Goode and Ben yemuda (1994) the major characteristics of moral panic are as follows;
-Concern
-Hostility- "them and us" Devision in society
-Concensus- agreement through society
-Disprorpertionality
-Volability - the moral panic blows up but quickly short lived

Other moral panics =
1970's- Mugging
1980's- Football hooliganism/skin heads
1990's- Rave Culture, paedophile
2000's- hoodies, binge drinking, terroism