Question

 1. In the Introduction Anderson summarizes moral panic as "an intense media-based reaction to a pressing issue in society." Cohen locates the concept squarely in the interactionist labeling/transactional tradition. As a process of social construction, the moral panic plays out in a battleground of

 opposing groups, mass media, and meaning creation. Compare the two primary

 competing groups of moral entrepreneurs

 and folk devils. What is the role of mass

 media in initiating and managing the moral panic.

 2. Distinguish between Lemert's concepts of primary and secondary deviance, with examples (p. 359). Which of the twob relates

 specifically to the process of deviance- labeling?

Answer 1

• 2.Deviant behaviors, or deviant acts, are those that violate social norms. Secondary deviance is deviant behavior that results from a stigmatized sense of self that aligns with society's concept of a deviant.
• The concept of secondary deviance was first developed by sociologist Edwin Lemert. Lemert was interested in exploring the process by which our behaviors can cause us to be labeled as deviants and lead to us being excluded from society. Edwin's inquiries eventually lead him to distinguish between secondary and primary deviance.
• Primary deviance is a deviant act that receives little social reaction or mild, corrective reaction. It's important to remember that not all deviant acts produce long-term negative outcomes. Some deviant acts go undetected, while those that are detected might result in a punishment that deters the person from engaging in deviant acts in the future.
• Examples:-
• Suppose Tracy is a 9-year-old who wants an Iron Man figurine that her mother refuses to buy. When Tracy gets to school the next day, she sees one of her friends pull out the toy she wants. At the end of the day, Tracy steals the toy and takes it home. Later, Tracy's teacher calls her mother to explain what happened. Tracy's mother is upset and makes Tracy return the toy and write a letter of apology to both the teacher and the other student. She takes away all of Tracy's toys for a week. After this, Tracy never steals another toy again.
• The example above demonstrates primary deviance. The punishment that Tracy received was corrective in that it stopped her from committing other deviant acts in the future. Tracy does not get into trouble with the law, and she does not get labeled as a deviant by society even though stealing is illegal. Tracy grows up to be a normal, law-abiding citizen.
• Now suppose that the following week Tracy is accused of stealing another toy, even though the other student told Tracy that she could have it, and is suspended from school. In addition to Tracy being punished at home, her teacher decides to inform all of the other parents in the classroom about Tracy's deviant behavior to serve as a cautionary tale as to why students shouldn't bring toys to school. The other students begin to treat Tracy as an outcast, call her a thief, and refuse to play with her.
• The other parents also refuse to invite Tracy to any birthday parties or play-dates, fearing that she will steal from them. Because of their reactions, Tracy begins to identify herself as a deviant and steals more items. Tracy starts stealing more valuable things such as clothing, shoes, jewelry, and large sums of money. Eventually, Tracy starts to hang out with other people who steal, and they develop their own street gang. This is an example of secondary deviance.
• Eventhough both are related to deviance labeling,but secondary deviance has a more direct link.Labeling theory takes the view that people become criminals when labeled as such and when they accept the label as a personal identity.
• Secondary deviance is when someone makes something out of that deviant behavior, which creates a negative social label that changes a person's self-concept and social identity.This negative label is called a stigma.
• To illustrate this theory, imagine the scenario of two married men away on business trips. Both men have an affair while on this trip, but in only one of the scenarios does the married man get caught, and word gets back to his wife and family back home. He certainly isn't the only married man to have an affair - the fact that he got caught is when secondary deviance sets in - when people start to 'make something' out of his behavior.
• It is quite possible that the man who got caught will be labeled and will develop a stigma as the result of his behavior. The man who did not get caught (while the act is the same) will not develop the same stigma because his action will go unnoticed. The consequences are not because of the act itself, but because of someone finding out about his behavior and labeling him.
• Due to time limit,remaining can be asked as another question,it will be answered,thankyou for your cooperation