A new study challenges conventional wisdom, suggesting that violent films prevent violent crime by attracting and keeping would-be assailants occupied.
I know why psychologists are upset about this study (other than the economists' encroachment into our turf): the conventional wisdom among psychologists is that catharsis does not work - watching violence does not 'get it out of your system.' Fighting this folk belief was a long and hard battle. I think many psychologists see this study as saying that catharsis works. Nope. It's saying that violent people like violence - either real or fictional. And fictional violence is so much easier to come by than the real thing so they go for the easy choice.
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