Matthew Nalls

“The amount of educational programming on television today is simply desensitizing.  The only reason left to go to school is to see gun violence,” (Humphreys 1) states Martin Chizelwit Humphreys in his book, Some Inspiration for the Overenthusiastic.  In this day and age, Martin Humphreys is not the only one who shares this view reflected by his quotation on desensitization.  Many others take up the call on the subject of desensitization with the same outlook.  In their minds, desensitization is a horrible, vile cancer upon society; one which must be avoided at all costs.  An example of one who shares the thoughts of Humphreys on this matter is Genice Phillips.  On the Web site “Beliefnet,” Phillips is the author of a particularly interesting article on desensitization entitled, “Is Desensitization the Norm in America?” in which she states

When violence, of any kind, splashes across our TV screens during the news, what is our reaction?  For a moment we’re concerned.  If it hits close to home, we’re afraid, overwhelmed by the thought that tomorrow it may be our daughter, our son; it may be us.  But those feelings last for a short period of time, and then, the news moves on.  And so do we…  Our emotions have numbed towards violent occurrences across the country (par. 2).

Phillips’s outlook on desensitization in a corrupted society is nearly exactly homogenous to Humphrey’s thoughts on the matter.  Both authors share the previously stated idea desensitization is comparable to a form of crippling cancer.  Hence, the question is raised, “If more than one person seems to firmly hold this belief desensitization is present and detrimental, what evidence exists upon which they stand?”

Evidence of desensitization runs almost as rampant as desensitization itself.  The majority of officials, authors, scholars, or others who take up arms against the spread of desensitization usually cite the growing “mature”-rated gaming industry as evidence of its spread.  On July 24^th, 2006, Iowa State University officials published a report involving studies completed on the link between violent video games and exponential desensitization.  In the findings, the report makes numerous claims based on studied observations, stating:

Research led by a pair of Iowa State University psychologists has proven for the first time that exposure to violent video games can desensitize individuals to real-life violence….  Their paper reports that past research — including their own studies — documents that exposure to violent video games increases aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal and aggressive behaviors, and decreases helpful behaviors.  Previous studies also found that more than 85 percent of video games contain some violence, and approximately half of video games include serious violent actions (sec. 4).

As if the evidence found in this report supporting the link between violent video games and desensitization was simply not enough, the pair of researchers went on to make their own conclusions on the experiment at the end of the report, stating

They conclude that the existing video game rating system, the content of much entertainment media, and the marketing of those media combine to produce “a powerful desensitization intervention on a global level.”… “In short, the modern entertainment media landscape could accurately be described as an effective systematic violence desensitization tool,” he [researcher Craig Anderson] said (sec. 4).

Only one undeniable and obvious fact can be drawn from the findings of the pair of Iowa State University researchers: desensitization is prevalent and highly corruptive upon society by being exuded from violent media.  Based upon the firm conclusion drawn by the researchers, violent media is a tool that would spread desensitization globally.  Something to note, however, is the fact this study was carried out, completed, and published all in 2006; nearly 9 years ago.  The only way to prove the validity of the seemingly-outdated study is to compare it to studies completed in the past three or four years, studies more recent and therefore more “valid” than Iowa State University’s report.

A report published August 12^th, 2013 by the University of Texas at San Antonio reviewed evidence again supporting desensitization linked to violent media, seven years after the Iowa State University initial report.  In the report, UTSA scholars describe their findings:

Today, a growing number of children, teens and adults purchase and play video games, supporting an industry that is valued at nearly $80 billion worldwide.  Scholars estimate that more than 85 percent of video games contain some form of violent imagery, and half include what they coin “serious violent actions.”  They also warn that violent video games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops have desensitizing effects on the body’s physiology….  “It is generally accepted within the scientific community that violent video games lead to desensitization, negatively impact psychological functioning and contribute to aggressive behavior” said [UTSA scholar] Cordova (par. 2-4).

As clearly and concisely laid out by the UTSA report, desensitization is still prevalent nine years after ISU’s original report.  Not only does that prove the still-extant validity and relevance of ISU’s findings, but also it proves the point made by ISU researchers when the report stated, “They conclude that the existing … media combine to produce ‘a powerful desensitization intervention on a global level.’”  Desensitization has latched onto the gaming industry like a parasite, as it has abridged continents and grown across the world.  Based upon the findings of both reports, anyone who attests to the valid fact the gaming industry is partly responsible for the spread of desensitization is neither inaccurate nor incorrect.

Thus, based on these findings, the fact desensitization is a crippling cancer upon society, using violent media as one of its means of locomotion, is now feasible.  Both Martin Humphreys and Genice Phillips are correct in their logic regarding the subject of rampant desensitization.  Desensitization is definitely rampant and undoubtedly dangerous.  Now that the question of desensitization’s existence is proven, many turn to face questions begged by the whole of societies across the globe yet, thus far, have unfortunately gone unanswered on a wide scale.  Arundhati Roy, writer and winner of the Booker Prize in 1997, summarizes the questions many ponder on the subject the best, as she states, “Have we raised the threshold of horror so high that nothing short of a nuclear strike qualifies as a ‘real’ war?  Are we to spend the rest of our lives in this state of high alert with guns pointed at each other’s heads and fingers trembling on the trigger?”  While many recognize desensitization as a major threat, only time will tell if and how the world will react to it on a unified scale.

Works Cited

Carnagey, Nicholas. “ISU Psychologists Provide First Study on Violence Desensitization.” Iowa State University News Service. 24 July 2006. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.

Fish, Christi. “UTSA Scholars to Study Desensitization…” UTSA TODAY. 13 Aug. 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.

Health Day. “Violent Video Games May Numb Players to Brutality, Study Says.” U.S. News and World Report. 9 May. 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.

Humphreys, Martin Chizelwit. Some Inspiration for the Overenthusiastic. 2 Nov. 2011. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.

Phillips, Genice. “Is Desensitization the Norm in American Society?” Beliefnet. N.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.

Roy, Arundhati. “Quotes on Desensitization.” Goodreads. N.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.