Using data from 132 telephone interviewees, we examined the role of affective-cognitive ambivalence in forming overall attitude and behavior toward toxic chemical and radioactive waste issues in Marion, Ohio in the U.S. In order to compare attitudinal preference, participants were divided into four A-C groups: action-group (Affective+/Cognitive+), detached-group (A-/C+), concerned-group (A+/C-), and inaction-group (A-/C-). Affective and cognitive components interacted, producing redundant influences on overall attitudes and judgments as frequently observed and postulated in previous attitude studies. The results showed that the action-group who were feeling unsafe and believed that environmental accidents had happened or are happening in Marion were less willing to move to the area than other three groups who were feeling safe and/or doubted reports of contamination and its relation with leukemia. Affective and cognitive components were found to have redundant influences on overall attitude. It was also observed that affective-cognitive ambivalence theory has a great potential for explaining the mechanism by which people form attitudes, especially when people have moderate or positive feelings (e.g. sympathy or eagerness for resources) toward the objects and/or when uncertainty is a major feature of environmental issue under consideration (e.g. global climate change).

The purpose of this study was to develop a program based on the Earth system based program to help students achieve science literacy. This program was designed to be connected across grade levels, and contents of the program were constructed to have meaningful interdisciplinary context. All the activities in the program were inquiry-based, and understanding of the nature of science was considered essential throughout the program. In addition, appreciation and stewardship for the Earth system were systematically emphasized on any grade level. Design of the program applied U.S. National Science Education Standards for the quality of and conditions for school science programs.

The purpose of this study was to explore the elementary students' perceptions of Earth systems and environmental issues. A survey was conducted to determine the students' perceptions on the following aveas: (1) the concepts of certainty and tangibility, (2) self-reported knowledge level, (3) perceived danger level of selected eight Earth systems and environmental issues, and (4) their primary information source on these issues. Results indicated that ozone hole, acid rain, El Niño, and global warming were identified by the students as uncertain and intangible issues. Perceived certainty and perceived tangibility were highly positively correlated with self-reported knowledge compared to other relationships. The results also showed that learning from school was the most frequent information source for environmental issues. The second most frequently used source of information was television among several mass media sources. It is hoped that this study contributes to understanding the elementary school students' perceptions toward the selected Earth systems and environmental issues.