Stanley Cohens' Audience Theory

Stanley Cohen (1972) produced research on (1972) Moral Panics, it suggested that media plays a part in defining and shaping social problems and perceptions of threat, and that this media representation and subsequent societal reaction may increase the devience/ threat. So representations of people are often:
- Often Judged harshly
- Punished
- Segregated or islotated. (Ostracise)

He also suggested that Moral Panics have a classic Structure
- Concern (Behaviour of the group, producing a negative impact)
- Hostility (Divions between "us" and "them")
- Consensus (widespread acceptance of the real threat to society)
- Disproportionally (The reaction is disproportionate to the actual threat)
- Volatilty (Disappear quickly to a change in public interest, eventually changing to another topic or trend)

HOW DOES MORAL PANIC EMMERSE?
Moral Panic can be sparked of by a variety of factors, the cycle is generally like this:
- Rise in Criminal or anti- social acts,
- Specific shocking interest,
- Explanation in public disclosure,
- A scape goat is found (A blame is put on something or someone),

REAL LIFE PANICS/ RECENT PANICS
- Videogames
- Online Activity
- Campus Killings/ Knife and Gun crime/ Gangs and YouTube
- Texting, Internet and Literacy (SLANG)
- Electronic Media and Obesity
- Screen & Web Addiction
- Social Skills in Decline