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Changing Minds about Climate Policy Can Be Done – Sometimes

Simply communicating the benefits is not enough

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Some open-minded people can be swayed to support government intervention on climate change – but only if they are presented with both the benefits and the costs, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that those who were open-minded didn’t change their view if they heard arguments for only one side of the issue.

People who are relatively more closed-minded did not change their mind regardless of the messages they received, or what their original views were. There was also no evidence of open-minded people becoming less supportive of government intervention, no matter if they heard both sides of the argument or only one. (more…)

Focus on Testing Hurts Students in High School Health Classes

By Guest PostNovember 21, 2011Educationann o connell, appalachia, deleon gray, derek lane, eric m anderman, extrinsic focus, george mason university, health education, healthy behavior, high school health classes, knowledge, low pressure, mastery focus, navigate sexual situations, ohio state, pamela cupp, pregnancy prevention, rick zimmerman, rural communities, safe sex habits, sex related topics, sexual advances, studying hiv, teacher, university of kentucky

COLUMBUS, Ohio – High school health classes fail to help students refuse sexual advances or endorse safe sex habits when teachers focus primarily on testing knowledge, a new study reveals.

But when teachers emphasized learning the material for its own sake, and to improve health, students had much better responses. In these kinds of classrooms, students had lower intentions of having sex and felt better able to navigate sexual situations.

“A focus on tests doesn’t help students in health classes make healthier choices,” said Eric M. Anderman, lead author of the study and professor of educational psychology at Ohio State University. (more…)

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Changing Minds about Climate Policy Can Be Done – Sometimes

Focus on Testing Hurts Students in High School Health Classes