Moral panic

A moral panic is a mass movement based on the false or exaggerated perception that some individual or group, frequently a minority group or a subculture, is dangerously deviant and poses a menace to society. These panics are generally fuelled by media coverage of social issues, although semi-spontaneous moral panics do occur. Mass hysteria can be an element in these movements, but moral panic is different from mass hysteria in that a moral panic is specifically framed in terms of morality and is usually expressed as outrage rather than unadulterated fear. Moral panics often revolve around issues of sex and often involve a new or widely circulated urban legend. These panics can sometimes lead to mob violence.

Related Topics:
Mass movement - Minority - Subculture - Deviant - Menace to society - Media - Mass hysteria - Sex - Urban legend - Mob violence

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