X-Message-Number: 27865
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 07:03:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: Scott Badger <>
Subject: Re: Life Extension Values Clarification Survey

> On Apr 21, 2006 David Stodolsky
> <> wrote:
>> ...
>> A normal research design would first measure attitudes and
then
>> undertake an attitude change intervention, followed by a
retest of
>> attitudes.

I once submitted a grant for a research project aimed at
designing interventions to alter teaching-style attitudes among
students in a teacher education program. My rejection letter
pointed to the literature which counter-intuitively showed that
measurable attitude changes are often poorly correlated with
real shifts in behavior.

IOW, the students may report attitudinal shifts toward teaching
styles in response to an experimental intervention, but the
evidence suggests that their actual teaching styles once they
are in the schools ends up being unchanged.

Is it because they reported attitude shifts that lacked depth or
conviction? Perhaps their attitudes were shifted back by
subsequent influences? Or perhaps attitude is not as strong a
determinant of behavior as we generally believe because behavior
is such a complex variable with so many determinants.

Sorry the references aren't handy.

Scott

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