how does perception, attitude, beliefs, bias and values affect observation?

Answer 1

I know that attitude and bias against the subject affects many of my students when they are confronted with the task of learning basic chemistry (probably the bias is mainly fear). When I explain something to them, they nod and claim to understand; then when I ask them to work the problem and what should I do, they look blank and tell me they don't know how to set up the problem. I think they are scared of the material and their brain shuts down. Then they stop thinking and give me outrageous answers, like the height of an average person being 0.02 cm. or the percentage of carbon in a 20 gram sample of an organic substance being 3500 kg.. Their minds are so withdrawn that they cannot analyze the absurdity of their own answers. (I'm sure my observations of them differ greatly from their observations of me, but I'm not sure I want to know what they think of me!) But anyway, I think their powers of observation are severely hindered by their fear of the subject matter, so that they sabotage themselves in their efforts to learn.I hope that answered at least one of your questions with regard to my own experiences.