What concept describes media-induced public overreaction to a perceived threat?

• A. Moral panics
• B. Gatekeeping
• C. Hypodermic Needle Model
• D. Uses & Gratifications

Answer: (A)

Moral panics describe media-driven bursts of public fear and concern that a perceived threat is a direct danger to society. When media coverage frames something as urgent and harmful, people react strongly, often demanding new laws, policing, or social changes. This reaction tends to be disproportionate to the actual level of risk and spreads quickly as more people join in, sometimes labeling certain groups as the source of danger. The media amplifies the threat through sensational headlines, constant repetition, and linking unrelated incidents to a broader menace, creating a shared sense that “something must be done” to protect social order.

The other ideas don’t fit this pattern as neatly. Gatekeeping is about who controls what information gets out and how, rather than explaining why a whole public reacts with fear and calls for action. The Hypodermic Needle Model suggests audiences passively absorb media messages and respond in a uniform way, which is too simplistic for the social dynamics of a panic. Uses and Gratifications looks at why individuals seek out media and how they use it to satisfy needs, not at how media can spur a collective overreaction.