Social Media News Stories
Can someone help me with this Sociology discussion question about “Deviance”?
“Can journalism contribute to deviance? Look at the latest news articles/stories, TV show talk topic, etc., and give examples, and describe how this form of media contributes to social deviance.”
– I’m NOT asking for a huge detailed paragraph answering this, but I am completely lost. 10 points for most helpful answer, for sure! Thanks!!
Stanley Cohen’s book, “Folk Devils and Moral Panics” beautifully illustrates how media can latch onto a behaviour (in his case anti-social youth) and make a few isolated incidents appear to be a wave of deviant behaviour.
‘Labelling’ theory (Howard Becker) argues that certain groups of people are labelled as criminal, which gives them no incentive to behave otherwise as they have already been stigmatised. Through feeling like ‘outsiders’ they end up becoming deviants.
‘Deviancy amplification spiral’ theory suggests that by glamourising a behaviour or making it seem common, more people do it.
Two current issues you might want to think about are: the media connection of Arabs/Muslims and terrorism, and the high-profile media coverage given to pupils who commit school shootings.
iePlexus Social Media News Brief: March 24, 2010
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