What is Deviancy Amplfication?

• Wilkins (1967) conceptualised the Deviancy Amplification Theory in his book 'Social Deviance'
• Wilkins conceptualised the Deviancy Amplification Theory in his book 'Social Deviance' in 1967
• Wilkins (1967) explained Deviancy Amplification Theory as seeking to understand the role of the media in strengthening & magnifying deviance in society
• Wilkins (1967) explained Deviancy Amplification Theory as the idea that there are members of society who engage in behaviours that go against accepted societal norms & values and that an effect of the media's reporting and representations of this deviance is that such behaviour is strengthened & magnified, leading to heightened public awareness and more engagement in deviant behaviour
• Wilkins (1967) created the Deviancy Amplification Spiral
• 1st Stage of the Deviancy Amplification Theory:

  • A Deviant Act is committed
  • Then a problem group is identified (known as 'Folk Devils') and sensationalised reports of the deviant behaviour appear in the media
  • This increases public desire to be informed of events leading to higher audience membership
• 2nd Stage of the Deviancy Amplification Theory:

  • After increased media consumption, the 'deviant behaviour' is glamorised and made attractive to more people, leading to higher engagement in deviant behaviour
  • A Moral Panic develops, as public concern increased allowing more media reports & demands for action
  • The Public feel their fear is justified which reinforced the Moral Panic
  • The Media profits more from the whole spiral and continued to report on the deviance
• The outcome of Deviancy Amplification is that a Moral Panic is created
• Moral Panic refers to the way in which the media reacts to particular social groups or activities that are seen as a threat to social order, this leads to the public to react in a panicky manner
• Moral Panics involve the identification of Deviant Groups (known as 'Folk Devils') who are blamed for causing the threat
• The 2024 Immigration Riots are a prime example of the Deviancy Amplification Spiral - Media outlets (BBC reporting on Home Secretary Suella Braverman describing it as an 'Invasion') heavily sensationalized the involvement of immigrants, framing them as the primary instigators of violence and unrest (e.g. Southport Stabbings), triggering a Moral Panic, casting Immigrants as 'Folk Devils' portrayed as a threat to societal order - This fuelled public fear & led to stricter immigration policies and harsher policing, which in turn amplified tensions and reinforced the negative stereotypes