Social Desensitization in the Media Culture Space

Annotation

This article examines the mediatization of violence and destruction, which leads to social desensitization. It provides an overview of research and issues related to the formation and promotion of aggressive content in contemporary media culture. Using examples from the aesthetics of video games, fashion, and the entertainment industry, it presents the sources of the “culture of violence” and the risks of its legitimization in social consciousness. The theoretical basis of this work is provided by E. Fromm's study of destructiveness, L. Berkovets's theory of aggression priming, P. Langman's theory of school shooting psychology, D. Khapaeva and J.L. Foltyn's theories of the aestheticization of death, and J. Naisbitt's theory of electronic violence. The article explores the specific features of the promotion of destructive ideas in online communities and subcultures. It also highlights the sources and factors that shape the overvalued attitude toward violence and destructiveness in contemporary media culture. The connections between the liberal worldview and the acceptance of violence as the norm are revealed. This study allows us to understand the phenomenon of social desensitization as a societal response to the promotion of violent images in the media across multiple levels (sociocultural, psychological, mass media, existential, ethical, and aesthetic). The results of this study can be used for regulatory guidance in media production as a form of humanitarian expertise.

Keywords

• social desensitization
• aggression
• violence
• media culture
• values and anti-values
• mediatization
• viral effect
• liberal values
• destruction
• aestheticization
* click on a keyword to go to the search

References

1. Berkovic, L. Agressija: prichiny, posledstviya i kontrol [Aggression: Reasons, Consequences and Control]. Saint Petersburg: Praym-Evroznak; Moscow: Neva, Olma-Press; 2002, 512 p.
2. Blok i sfera: obem kontenta s propagandoy nasiliya v internete vyros vdvoe [Block and sphere: the volume of content promoting violence online has doubled]. Izvestiya [Izvestia]. January 12, 2024. Available at: https://iz.ru/1632799/elizaveta-krylova/blok-i-sfera-obem-kontenta-s-propagandoi-nasiliia-v-internete-vyros-vdvoe (accessed: 02.12.2025).
3. Burkova, V. N.; Butovskaya, M. L. Nasilsvennye kompyuternye igry i problemy agressivnogo povedeniya detey i podrostkov [Violent Computer Games and Problems of Aggressive Behavior Among Children and Adolescents]. Voprosy psikhologii [Voprosy Psychologii], 2012, no. 1, pp. 132–140.
4. Voiskunsky, A. E. Napravleniya issledovaniy Internet-mediatsii [Directions for Research on Internet Mediation]. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 14 “Psikhologiya” [Bulletin of Moscow University. Series 14 “Psychology”]. 2017, no. 1, pp. 51–66.
5. Burovikhina, I. A. Detskoe skvernoslovie [Children's Swearing]. Direktor shkoly [School director]. 2017, no. 7, pp. 91–97.
6. Ilyinskaya, S. G. Paradoksy tolerantnosti i terpimosti. Zapadnyy i rossiyskiy opyt [Paradoxes of Tolerance and Forbearance. Western and Russian Experience]. Svobodnaya mysl [Free thought]. 2023, no. 3, pp. 73–88.
7. Kleyberg, Yu. A. Osnovy psikhologii deviantnogo povedenija [Foundations of Psychology of Deviant Behavior]. Moscow: Alfa Press; 2014, 231 p.
8. Kleyberg, Yu. A. Obstsennaya leksika v podrostkovo-molodezhnoy srede [Obscene Language in Teenager and Youth Environment]. Yazyk i myshlenie: psihologicheskie i lingvisticheskie aspekty [Language and thinking: psychological and linguistic aspects]. Ed. by
   A. V. Puzyrev. Moscow: Moscow Pedagogical State University; 2022, pp. 151–164.
9. Kozlov, N. I. Desensibilizatsiya – koroleva psikhoterapii! [Desensitization –the Queen of Psychotherapy!]. Available at: psychologos.ru/articles/view/desensibilizaciya---koroleva-psihoterapii-vos-zn. (accessed: 02.12.2025).
10. Krakowski, S. Intsely. Kak devstvenniki stanovyatsya terroristami [How Virgins Become Terrorists]. Moscow: Knizhnik; 2024. Available at: knizhnik.org/stefan-krakovski/inczely-kak-devstvenniki-stanovjatsya-terroristami/4 (accessed: 02.12.2025).
11. Kutlaliyev, T. Kh. Zhanrovaya tipologiya kompyuternykh igr: problema sistematizatsii khudozhestvennykh sredstv [Genre Typology of Computer Games: The Problem of Systematizing Artistic Techniques]. Cand. cult. sci. diss. Abstract. Moscow; 2014, 25 p.
12. Langman, P. Pochemu deti ubivayut. Chto proiskhodit v golove u shkolnogo strelka [Why Kids Kill: Inside the Mind of a School Shooter]. Moscow: Eksmo; 2022, 304 p.
13. Naisbitt, J., Naisbitt N., Phillips D. Vysokaya tekhnologiya, glubokaya gumannost: Tekhnologii i nashi poiski smysla [High Technology, Deep Humanity: Technologies and Our Search for Meaning]. Moscow: AST, Traductor; 2005, 381 p.
14. Nesovershennoletnie kanikuly: kak v raznykh stranakh mira detey zashchishchayut ot sotssetey [Minor holidays: how children are protected from social media in different countries]. Available at: https://adpass.ru/zapret-na-socseti-dlya-detej-i-podrostkov/ (accessed: 02.12.2025).
15. Nikishin, V. D. Vredonosnaya informatsiya v internet-media: “okno Overtona” i vzaimosvyaz destruktivnykh setevykh techeniy [Harmful Information in Internet Media: ‘Overton Window’ and Interrelation of Destructive Network Trends]. Lex Russica [Lex Russica], 2022, vol. 75, no. 11 (192), pp. 131–148, doi: 10.17803/1729-5920.2022.192.11.131-148.
16. Sidorenko, I. N. Nasilie kak destruktsiya prirody cheloveka v filosofii E. Fromma [Violence as Destruction of Human Nature in Erich Fromm’s Philosophy]. Trudy Belgorodskogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnicheskogo universiteta imeni V. G. Shukhova [Transactions of the V. G. Shukhov Belgorod State Technical University]. 2015, no. 5, pp. 109–112.
17. Sysoyev, Yu. V., Lebedev, I. B., Filatova, T. P. Desensibiliziruyushchee vozdeystvie kompyuternykh igr s soderzhaniem v syuzhete stsen nasiliya na psikhiku molodogo pokoleniya [Desensibilizing Effect of Violent Video Games on Young People's Psyche]. Nauka i shkola [Science and School]. 2015, no. 6, pp. 70–73.
18. TOP-20 Samykh Zhestokikh i Krovavykh Igry na PC, 2025 [Top-20 Most Brutal and Bloody PC Games]. Available at^ cybersport.metaratings.ru/articles/20-samyh-zhestokih-i-krovavyh-igr-na-pk/ (accessed: 02.12.2025).
19. Uybelbek, M. Elementarnye chastitsy [Elementary Particles]. Moscow: AST: Corpus; 2024, 384 p.
20. Foltin, Zh. L. Skelety Ot-Kuter, Moda na Cherepa i Nekroglamur: Smert kak Modnaya Estetika [Skulls Haute-Couture, Skull Fashion and Necro-Glamour: Death as Fashionable Aesthetic]. Novoye Literaturnoye Obozreniye [New Literary Review]. 2019, no. 159, pp. 71–95.
21. Fromm, E. Anatomiya chelovecheskoy destruktivnosti [Anatomy of Human Destructiveness]. Moscow: AST; 2015, 810 p.
22. Khapaeva, D. Zanimatelnaya Smert' [Funny Death]. Novoye Literaturnoye Obozreniye [New Literary Review]. 2019, no. 5, pp. 54–70.
23. Anderson, C. A., Carnagey, N. L. Causal effects of violent sports video games on aggression: Is it competitiveness or violent content? Journal of experimental social psychology. 2009, no. 45. pp. 731–739.
24.  Aggression and violence: Social interactionist perspectives. Ed. by R. B. Felson, J. T. Tedeschi. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association; 1993, doi: 10.1037/10123-000.
25. Ferguson, C. J., Gryshyna, A., Kim, J. S., Knowles, E., Nadeem, Z., Cardozo, I., Esser, C., Trebbi, V., Willis, E. Video games, frustration, violence and virtual reality: two studies. British journal of social psychology. 2022, no. 61, pp. 83–99.
26. Foltyn, J. L. Dead famous and dead sexy: Popular culture, forensics, and the rise of the corpse. Mortality. May 2008, vol. 13 (2), pp. 157. Available at: http://filosof.historic.ru/books/item/f00/s00/z0000769/st000.shtml (accessed: 02.12.2025).
27. Jiang, Z., Qi, K., Zhao, Y., Liu, J., Lv, C. Other-dehumanization rather than self-dehumanization mediates the relationship between violent video game exposure and aggressive behavior. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking. 2022, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 37–42, doi: 10.1089/cyber.2021.0108.
28. Piele, M. D. A theoretical frameworkfor the detrimental effects of media violence exposure onyoung people. Revista Românească pentru Educaţie Multidimensională. 2024. vol, 16, no. 4, pp. 425–441, doi: 10.18662/rrem/16.4/922.
29. Riedman, D. K-12 School Shooting Database. 2025. Available at: https://k12ssdb.org/all-shootings (accessed: 02.12.2025).

Popular articles