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The concept of moral panic and its use in social psychology

Iotti, Nathalie O. LU orcid and Jungert, Tomas LU (2018) In Psicologia Sociale 13(2). p.165-181
Abstract

Moral panics are events that occur when societies react to a condition, episode, person or group of persons inside their society, which are seen as threats to the society’s core values or beliefs. The concept of moral panic has been successfully employed in the fields of sociology and criminology for well over 40 years. However, it has remained fairly unknown to social psychologists. In this paper we have reviewed the theoretical and empirical literature on this topic, from its inception to the latest modifications it has received. We have also highlighted the concept’s implicit links to social psychological theories and research findings. Criticisms, past applications and suggestions for future usage are provided and discussed.

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Deviance, Folk devil, Moral panic
in
Psicologia Sociale
volume
13
issue
2
pages
17 pages
publisher
Il Mulino publishing house
external identifiers
  • scopus:85053350772
ISSN
1827-2517
DOI
10.1482/90781
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a4390308-ec7b-4fc2-8b5d-69559a989bd2
date added to LUP
2018-10-19 08:24:21
date last changed
2022-05-03 07:05:00
@article{a4390308-ec7b-4fc2-8b5d-69559a989bd2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Moral panics are events that occur when societies react to a condition, episode, person or group of persons inside their society, which are seen as threats to the society’s core values or beliefs. The concept of moral panic has been successfully employed in the fields of sociology and criminology for well over 40 years. However, it has remained fairly unknown to social psychologists. In this paper we have reviewed the theoretical and empirical literature on this topic, from its inception to the latest modifications it has received. We have also highlighted the concept’s implicit links to social psychological theories and research findings. Criticisms, past applications and suggestions for future usage are provided and discussed.</p>}},
  author       = {{Iotti, Nathalie O. and Jungert, Tomas}},
  issn         = {{1827-2517}},
  keywords     = {{Deviance; Folk devil; Moral panic}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{165--181}},
  publisher    = {{Il Mulino publishing house}},
  series       = {{Psicologia Sociale}},
  title        = {{The concept of moral panic and its use in social psychology}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1482/90781}},
  doi          = {{10.1482/90781}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}