Editing Moral panic (section)

=== Agents of moral panic ===
Characterizing the reactions to the mod and rocker conflict, Cohen identified four key agents in moral panics: [[mass media]], [[moral entrepreneur]]s, the culture of [[social control]], and [[Public|the public]].<ref name="Crossman" /><ref name="Critcher-2017" /><ref name="Mannion-2019" />
* Media – especially key in the early stage of social reaction, producing "processed or coded images" of deviance and the deviants.{{sfn|Cohen|2002|pp=44–48}} This involves three processes:<ref name="Critcher-2017" />
*# [[exaggeration]] and [[distortion]] of who did or said what;
*# [[prediction]], the dire consequences of failure to act;
*# symbolization, signifying a person, word, or thing as a threat.
* Moral entrepreneurs – individuals and groups who target deviant behavior
* Societal control culture – comprises those with institutional [[Power (social and political)|power]]: the [[police]], the [[court]]s, and local and national politicians. They are made aware of the nature and extent of the 'threat'; concern is passed up the [[Chain of Command|chain of command]] to the national level, where control measures are instituted.
* The public – these include individuals and groups. They have to decide who and what to believe: in the mod and rocker case, the public initially [[distrust]]ed media messages, but ultimately believed them.