Research on Moral Panic Theory...

Moral Panic has four distinctive characteristics and features and the are the following:
Concern - There must be awareness that the behaviour of the group or category in question is likely to have a negative impact on society.

Hostility - An increase in hostility towards the group in question and they become "folk devils". A clear division forms between "them" and "us".

Consensus - Though concern does not have to be nationwide, there must be widespread acceptance that the group in question poses a very real threat to society. It is important at this stage that the "moral entrepreneurs" are vocal and the "folk devils" appear weak and disorganised.

Dis proportionality - The public is given statistics that are disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the accused group.

Volatility - Moral panics are highly volatile and tend to disappear as quickly as they appeared due to a wane in public interest or news reports changing to another topic.

This then shows that there are common and typical characteristics and features that make the Theory of Moral Panic recognisable when it is being used. Individuals or groups have been shown and presented as Moral Panics, for example various actions taken place in Western Countries such as 9/11 and 7/7 bombings created moral panic about Muslims and the exaggeration of the actions of Muslims, which then puts a strain on the audience into thinking that all Muslims are terrorists.