Desensitization+to+Death

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The media plays a critical role in our society today. Unfortunately, one of these functions is to relay current adverse events such as mass shootings and natural disasters to the viewers all over the world. While being informed is important, studies show that the continuous exposure to graphic content on the news leads to some nasty side effects. One significant impact that these viewers experience is desensitization to death and violence. Essentially, this means that viewers are not likely to be shocked or phased when they learn about a more recent tragedy. Viewers and the victims are both psychologically impacted by this social norm. = =
 * ====Desensitize: to lessen the sensitiveness of; to make indifferent, unaware, or the like, in feeling [1]. ====

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Regarding the media, it appears that there is a correlation between exposure to violence on the news and aggressive behavior/emotions. A study conducted by the psychology department at the University of Potsdam analyzed the specific links between desensitization to this type of content and aggression. Participants were exposed to a series of clips meant to provoke aggressive thoughts and actions. By measuring skin conductance level (SCL) and completing lexical decision tasks, researchers were able to conclude that there is a correlation between aggressive emotions and violent media. The researchers who conducted this experiment gained critical information regarding the relationship between desensitization and aggression. It is safe to say that the media directly affects the beliefs and behaviors of viewers; however, this concept is not exclusive to the media. Graphic video games also trigger this response, as depicted in the cartoon above. These violent games are quite popular among children under the age of eighteen, which is where this process begins to take place.

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All things considered, there is thorough evidence that the unethical practices utilized by media outlets are harmful to those who consistently view this content. Though the news is a critical component of our modern lives, there should entirely be more censorship for tragedies and current events so that viewers are not exposed to death and violence as much. I have found supportive evidence for my thesis, which states that these practices are unethical and have harsh psychological effects. As shown above, it is not a positive thing to be unaffected by death and violence, which could lead to a cynical mindset and make these audiences more aggressive. So next time you turn on your television, flip to the news channel and hear about a new tragedy, keep in mind that you are very likely to be desensitized or unaffected by the event.

References

“Desensitize.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/desensitize “Don't worry, I'm completely desensitized to violence!” Get Milked. Rogers, Rob. “Video Game Violence.” Post-Gazette, 2005. RTAmerica. “'We've all been desensitized to violence, we become inactive' – psychologist.” YouTube, YouTube, 2 Oct. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kWgxCcvjJI.