Title: Things That Affect a Person's Beliefs | The Classroom
Headings: Things That Affect a Person's Beliefs
Things That Affect a Person's Beliefs
Attitudes, Opinions and Beliefs
Cultural and Home Influences
Education and Formal Training
Learning Experiences

Content: Attitudes include feelings, for example, about the best restaurant for specialty food or the best type of seasoning for poultry. People develop opinions about supporting political parties and selecting brands of cars based on a number of attitudes about voting and driving. Beliefs, however, include closely held values that rarely change such as the belief in a specific religion. People frequently change attitudes and occasionally opinions, but rarely do individuals change beliefs, according to therapist Steve Sisgold reporting in ''Psychology Today.'' Cultural and Home Influences
Parents, parenting practices and family culture help influence beliefs, including adopting a religion and child-rearing practices. The general culture of the family also affects personal beliefs, and the amount of early exposure to the culture shapes important values. Native cultures, including some Native American and Hawaiian people for example, teach children respect for the environment and this frequently influences personal beliefs about the use of natural resources, according to the Northern Arizona University Land Use History of the Colorado Plateau. Some cultures and people belonging to religious groups avoid the use of elements of modern medicine based on belief systems. Education and Formal Training
Exposure to the beliefs of others and the amount and type of formal education influence belief development. Some societies avoid formal schooling in favor of family training.