Does Violence on Television Translate into Violence on the Street and in the Home?

Many movies, as well as fiction and nonfiction television programs, are saturated with violence. According to psychodynamics theory, movie and television violence should be a cathartic pot of gold. But social learning theorists argue that by providing numerous aggressive models - including many who are reinforced - television violence is more likely to increase viewers' aggressive behavior than to reduce it.
Headline-making "copycat" acts of violence clearly illustrate social learning effects. Still, hundreds of millions of people are entertained by television violence. …