Media exposure and sensitivity to violence in news reports: Evidence of desensitization?

Abstract

This study explores whether amount of exposure to entertainment television violence, local newspapers, and local television news relates to reactions to reading news stories that recount violent events. Survey results from three regions in the United States show bivariate connections between average media exposure levels and each of three indicators of desensitization. Multivariate results provide partial support for the idea that heavy local news consumption - presumably due to the presence of violent content - can contribute to a blunted response to news stories regarding real-life violent events when individuals have low trait empathy. © 2007 AEJMC.