How can one change beliefs and attitudes since they are private events?

When beliefs and one's behaviors are incongruent, one experiences problems. Teachers can either attempt to change the student's beliefs and attitudes, or their behavior. How can one change beliefs and attitudes since they are private events? Does it make sense that private events are merely another type of behavior so teachers should focus on the emitted (overt) behaviors of students and assume that their collateral products (e.g., private events) will also change? Explain.

How can one change beliefs and attitudes since they are private events?palace theatre

You're righ. Beliefs are more or less private until we express them. Teachers actually coach behavior, but they do it by encouraging us to learn. When we learn, we assimilate the new information with the old, which includes our beliefs. We then have to reason out why we believe whatever it is that we believe. Sometimes, when the two conflict, we choose the old, sometimes the new. Thinking about what and how we think is called metacognition. We can do it on a conscious level and articulate our beliefs and thoughts, thus sharing them with others, perhaps even getting them to see things our way--the basis of argument and persuasion. Teaching is a bit more subtle in that the supporting information is given first without the intended consequence revealed. One either accepts or rejects the new information which means their beliefs have been affected or not. Sometimes the new information fits right in with our beliefs, so we accept it without having to realign our beliefs. Teachers do focus on the overt behaviors--they call them tests and exams. If you pass the test, they can assume you've changed or not, but you're on the right track.

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How can one change beliefs and attitudes since they are private events?

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