STUDY SUBJECTS WERE 98 FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE BOYS AND GIRLS FROM LANSING, MICH. THE SUBJECTS WERE FROM WORKING CLASS AND LOWER MIDDLE CLASS BACKGROUNDS. ONE GROUP WATCHED A BRIEF FIGHT SCENE PORTRAYED AS A NEWS STORY IN A SIMULATED TELEVISION BROADCAST. A SECOND GROUP SAW THE SAME SCENE PRESENTED AS A MOVIE PREVIEW DURING A COMMERCIAL BREAK. ALL SUBJECTS THEN COMPLETED A QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNED TO MEASURE AGGRESSIVE TENDENCIES. THE SUBJECTS WHO WATCHED THE REAL VIOLENCE EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER AGGRESSIVENESS IN THEIR RESPONSES THAN DID THE SUBJECTS WHO WATCHED THE FANTASY VIOLENCE. BOTH GROUPS WERE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN CONTROL SUBJECTS, WHO WATCHED A NEWS BROADCAST WITH NO VIOLENCE. PERCEIVED REALITY OF THE PRESENTATION WAS THE KEY FACTOR IN THE EFFECT ON AGGRESSION. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT REAL TELEVISION VIOLENCE IS MORE DISINHIBITING THAN FICTIONAL VIOLENCE AND THAT TELEVISION NEWS PROGRAMS HAVE A DISTINCT POTENTIAL FOR PRODUCING AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN YOUNG VIEWERS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)