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: 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. Families sometimes insist on sending children to special religious schools in place of attendance at public schools. These groups believe formal training and education shapes beliefs, and argue that instruction by people outside the family, culture or religion confuses children in shaping their beliefs. Some people refuse to send children to school and homeschool to ensure training and education meets family beliefs and values, according to Robert Kunzman of the Indiana University School of Education in a 2010 issue of the "International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education." Learning Experiences
Experiences help shape personal beliefs, but scientists disagree on the importance of the real-life learning and the development of values or beliefs. Research done by neuroscience Joel Winston of the Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience and psychologist Matthew Lieberman of the University of California, as reported in a 2005 "The Guardian" article, place learning experiences at the top of the list of influences that develop personal beliefs.