Interactionist View on Moral Panic

• Interactionist Sociologists explore the process of defining & labelling deviance
• Interactionist Sociologists see Deviancy Amplification as a process by which different behaviours are labelled and come to be seen as 'Deviant'
• Interactionist Sociologists believe that Labelling can lead to certain groups being victimised as criminals & deviants
• For example, Interactionist Sociologists argue that the police might label black youths as more likely to be criminals, this can cause an individual to be singled out as deviant, which could result in a 'self-fulfilling prophecy', where they adopt the behaviour of the deviant label (Stigma) and could turn into a master status (overriding all other aspects of them)
• Interactionist Sociologists argue that the targeting of certain groups by agents of social control can lead to Deviancy Amplification, meaning some members of the audience are attracted to the victimised group & repeat the deviant behaviour