Desensitization (psychology)
Psychologist Mary Cover Jones pioneered early desensitization techniques to help individuals "unlearn" (disassociate from) phobias[1] and anxieties.
[2][3][4][5] Her work laid the foundation for later structured approaches to desensitization therapy, aimed at gradually reducing emotional reactions to previously distressing situations.
In 1958, Joseph Wolpe developed a hierarchical (ranked) list of anxiety-evoking stimuli ordered by intensity to help individuals gradually adapt (become accustomed) to their fears.
[6] Although medication is available for individuals with anxiety, fear, or phobias, empirical evidence supports desensitization with high rates of cure, particularly in clients with depression or schizophrenia.
[7] The hierarchical list is constructed between client and therapist in an ordered series of steps from the least disturbing to the most alarming fears or phobias.
[11] According to research, it is not necessary for the hierarchy of scenes to be presented in a specific order, nor is it essential for the client to have mastered a relaxation response.
[13] The theory that "two opposing states cannot occur simultaneously" i.e. relaxation methods that are involved with desensitization inhibit feelings of anxiety that come with being exposed to phobic stimuli.
[13] One criticism is that reciprocal inhibition isn't a necessary part of the process of desensitizing people as other therapies that are along similar lines, such as flooding, work without pre-emptive, inhibitory relaxation techniques.
[13]However, desensitization is a form of exposure therapy which in turn leads to the unwanted behavior becoming extinct due to the learned associations becoming weakened.
[21] The medial prefrontal cortex works with the amygdala,; when damaged, a phobic subject finds desensitization more difficult.
[21] Neurons in this area aren't fired during the desensitization process despite reducing spontaneous fear responses when artificially fired, suggesting the area stores extinction memories that reduce phobic responses to future stimuli related to the phobia (conditioned), which explains the long-term impact of desensitization.
[22] They are instructed to use relaxation techniques and other coping mechanisms in a hierarchy of anxiety-producing situations to reduce tensions and serve as covert rehearsal for eventualities.
[25] Systematic desensitization used in conjunction with counter-conditioning was shown to reduce problem behaviours in dogs, such as vocalization and property destruction.
Some scholars suggest that violence may prime thoughts of hostility, possibly affecting how we perceive others and interpret their actions.
[27][28][29] Desensitization has been shown to lower arousal to violent scenes in heavy versus light television viewers at the physiological level.
[30] It has frequently been suggested that those who commit extreme violence have blunted sensibilities as a result of watching violent videos repeatedly.
[5] It is hypothesized that initial exposure to violence in the media may produce a number of aversive responses, such as increased heart rate, fear, discomfort, perspiration, and disgust.
However, prolonged and repeated exposure to violence in the media may reduce or habituate the initial psychological impact until violent images do not elicit these negative responses.
In one experiment, participants who played violent video games showed lower heart rate and galvanic skin response readings, which the authors interpreted as displaying physiological desensitization to violence.
[35] However, more sensitive developmental studies might find that this effect can be moderated by some individual difference variables (such as empathy, perspective taking, or trait hostility).
