Education and Behavior
Education is possibly one of the most effective tools of conferring knowledge critical for assisting people to adopt ethically inspired behaviors. Such is based on the information aspects of education on the people as well as assisting people to comprehend and discriminate between behaviors. The behavior of a person is under the influence of multiple factors, and education is one of such influences. The focus of this paper is to explore different arguments on how education shapes the behavior of a person. Compared to the less educated persons, learned persons tend to show superiority in the exemplification of good practices.
The Impact of Education on Behavior
Many people believe that education is helpful in conferring good behaviors in the society. Since time immemorial, the primary goal of education has been to impart knowledge and promote moral behavior. Learning institutions provide an environment and resources critical in the shaping of a learner’s behavior. According to Doyle and Joane (377), as one progresses through the education system, their moral judgment capacity improves. Through the moral capacity, education enables people to make the right decisions when faced with dilemmas. Therefore, education contributes significantly to the understanding of one’s behavior. However, there are arguments that even those who did not attend classes can make rational decisions in times of dilemma to the extent of exceeding the highly educated. While this argument is valid, the capacity of the uneducated persons to make rational decisions in times of dilemma is restricted to less complex situations that do not call for sophisticated analysis incorporating principles learned in school. Based on this view, education remains a powerful tool in fostering good behaviors in the society.
Educational Knowledge and Behavior
Another argument that supports the roles of education in shaping the behavior of person is that education leads to a build-up of knowledge about multiple aspects of life. Through education, people learn about respect for the rights of others, adherence to the provision of law, as well as a concern for the common good of the nation (Thomson 8). The learning of the various concepts in class makes people knowledgeable and exhibit a deeper understanding of various issues. People who have higher levels of education show a significant level of analysis before arriving at certain decisions. In particular, people can be considerate and evaluate the impacts of their decisions, even in the absence of dilemmas. The opponents of this perspective argue that doing good is influenced more by a person’s upbringing. The school is just one of the factors that shape behaviors within the larger societal context. Such an argument is backed by the existence of noble personalities in the society who did not go through the education program. As much as it may not be solely responsible for conferring desirable behavior, it has some beneficial implications for shaping the behavior of a person.
The Role of Character Education
The inclusion of character education in the curriculum helps in improving the behaviors of learners and make become responsible members of the society (Thomson 77). At the point of joining the school, even at the lowest levels learning the principles of care and responsibility are encouraged. Through this, the learners get to know the limits of their behaviors and align them to the ones that may not predispose other individuals or the society at large. Further, through the interaction with other students, especially with different backgrounds also assist in the shaping of the perspectives towards others. The development of social skills through such interactions improve the capacity of a person to shun undesirable tendencies such as discriminating others based on their backgrounds. People who are educated adopt a global view of issues and tend to consider the implications of their behavior on the lives of others. This position can be challenged by the assertion that before the introduction of education in some parts of the world, the level of responsibility and socialization were at an advanced level. People were friendly to each despite the lack of common ground for interaction. Further, as earlier indicated, there are people in the society who have a low level or lack of it, who show more respect and responsibility towards other people compared to the educated persons. This discredits the argument that education serves to positively shape the characters and behaviors of people in the society.
Conclusion
Based on the above discussion, it is apparent that education contributes to the improvement of the behavior of a person. In schools, people learn to uphold high standards of morality, especially when faced with ethical dilemmas. The knowledge acquired also helps in the discrimination of behaviors that are not desirable. However, the existence of noble personalities who are not educated in the society challenges the perception that education improves behavior. This can be disputed by the fact that school increases the chances of a person exhibiting a higher level of rationalism. The knowledge acquired through education improve the decision capabilities of the learned persons even in sophisticated situations. Therefore, it is true that education assists in the changing of behaviors positively.
Works Cited
Doyle, Elaine, and Joanne O'Flaherty. "The impact of education level and type on moral reasoning." Irish Educational Studies 32.3 (2013): 377-393.
Thompson, William G. "The Effects of Character Education on Student Behavior." (2002).
