desensitization: Meaning and Definition of

de•sen•si•ti•za•tion

1. the act or process of desensitizing.
2. the elimination or reduction of natural or acquired reactivity or sensitivity to an external stimulus, as an allergen.
3. a behavior modification technique, used esp. in treating phobias, in which panic or other undesirable emotional response to a given stimulus is reduced or extinguished, esp. by repeated exposure to that stimulus.