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NHES SKILLS

Analyzing Internal and External Influences

Analyzing influences "means knowing what influences you and how your are influenced when you make certain health choices." A student demonstrates appropriate application of this skill when he / she can show different ways that health choices are affected, including internal feelings and external things that influence health choices, and that he / she has considered why different things affect health choices. Some examples of activities that help to build this skill include re-working an advertisement, doing a skit on peer pressure, re-writing a tale that helps explain influences. (from: Assessing Health Literacy: A Guide to Portfolios).

Influences on Decisions
The skill category of Analyzing Internal and External Influences helps develop students' ability to analyze the influence of internal and external elements on health behavior. Unfortunately, many young people do not recognize the role internal and external factors play in their decisions regarding personal, family and community health. These decisions are more likely to result in risky behavior. Students must learn to appreciate the complexity of these influences and be able to determine how these factors can positively or negatively affect health decisions.
There are two major types of influences-internal and external.

Internal Influences:

• knowledge/factual information/what I know
• curiosity
• interests, likes/dislikes
• desires (to feel accepted, loved, powerful, competent, etc.)
• fears

External Influences:

• media/advertising
• legal restrictions (speed limit, drinking age laws, driver's license, no smoking signs)
• setting/location
• culture
• parents/family/relatives
• peers/friends/other teens
• role models outside the family (celebrities, athletes, singers, leaders)

Media-Literacy
Media literacy is defined a "the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information in a variety of format including print and nonprint….It is an expanded information and communication skill that is responsive to the changing nature of information in our society. It addresses the skills students need to be taught in school, the competencies citizens must have as we consume information in our homes and living rooms, the abilities workers must have as we move toward the 21st century and the challenges of a global economy." (Appalachian State University definition)

• The Media Literacy Online Project College of Education, University of Oregon. Extensive web-site divided into four sections.
• Media Literacy: Internet Provides suggested lesson plans and student activities.

Media Violence - click here for more information.