A new study by Digital Life America finds that 78 percent of respondents say that taking a DVD from a retail store is a "very serious offense," but only 40 percent says so about illegally downloading a copyrighted movie.

The study surveyed 2,600 Americans via telephone and online to discover their attitudes toward movie downloads, CNET reports. Kaan Yigit, Digital Life America study director, says there is a "Robin Hood affect" that's responsible for most consumers' opinion regarding the downloading of copyrighted movies.

"Most people perceive celebrities and studios to be rich already and, as a result, don't think of movie downloading as a big deal," Yigit explained in a statement.

He advises studios to offer more distribution options and lower prices to help combat piracy.