Catharsis

The theory of catharsis is displayed in countries with less censorship and less crime.

Carthasis is the theory that antisocial actions in a fantasy world will make someone less likely to perform the actions in real life. This theory rose to popularity in the 1930s and resurfaced later with the introduction of violent television and video games. This theory revolves around the relief of tension and curiosity as well as the ability of consumers to separate real life from fiction.

A major example of this theory is censorship in Canada. In Canada there is significantly less censorship on violent movies and video games, but also significantly less violent crime. If children, especially from a young age are used to letting out stress or violent/criminal urges they may naturally have in the form of violent games such as Grand Theft Auto they may dismiss any thoughts of committing these crimes in real life.