Such an effect is largely due to the activation of ideas and inclinations semantically related to the meaning of the observed event rather than to a long-lasting learning. However, the likelihood of an openly aggressive reaction to television or movie violence is greatly dependent on situational conditions, and the present paper considers some of these conditions. Starting with an examination of what situational factors influence people's desire to view violent programming, this article then proceeds to research bearing on the effects of the presence of other observers, the nature of the available target, situational features operating as retrieval cues, the viewers' interpretations of and thoughts about the violent scenes including their perceived reality, and the observers' focus of attention. The paper argues that research into the effects of media violence should no longer ask how much of an influence is exerted by aggressive portrayals in the media generally, but it should investigate the conditions under which these depictions have a greater or lesser effect. (Author abstract)