Abstracts - Earli

content analysis revealed three distinctive domains concerning religion. They were called theinstitutional dimension, the supernatural dimension, and the humanistic dimension. In general, themeanings given to religion emphasised the institutional dimension among both groups. However,the study showed that the theology students perceived religion as a larger phenomenon thanmerely religious organisations and institutions. In addition, while the sixth-grade students focusedon concrete institutional elements of faith traditions, the theology students were able to recognisepersonal spiritual elements from the traditional forms of religiousness. This study implies that thedevelopment of religious literacy and expertise shows as the broadening of personal horizonconcerning religion.The influence of feelings on cognitive achievement in religious educationTheo Van der Zee, Radboud University Nijmegen, NetherlandsChris Hermans, Radboud University Nijmegen, NetherlandsCor Aarnoutse, Radboud University Nijmegen, NetherlandsTaking a socio-constructivist perspective on knowledge and learning, the paper investigates theinfluence of feelings on cognitive achievement in religious education. The first aim is to find outwhether feelings influence achievement and whether affective learning strategies make adifference in this regard. It is expected that feelings influence learning and achievement byfocusing students’ attention on agreeable things and deflecting it from disagreeable things and thataffective learning strategies make a difference. The second aim is to find out whether students’characteristics affect the influence of feelings on achievement. It is expected that religiouscharacteristics make a difference in this regard. To answer the research questions we used a quasiexperimentaland a pre-test / post-test design with two experimental groups (N = 257). We used aquestionnaire on students’ characteristics, a questionnaire on feelings, the Cognitive AchievementTest (CAT) to gather the data. We conducted MANCOVAs and used a SEM technique (LISREL)to analyse the data. Results of analyses show that positive feelings, negative feelings and boredomall influence achievement, albeit in varying degrees. Results also show that belief in God andparticipation in religious practices actively affect the influence of feelings on achievement. Resultsare discussed with reference to theoretical assumptions (Pekrun et al., 2002). To explain theinfluence of feelings on achievement in religious education we discuss the model of Wynn (2005).With respect to the influence of students’ characteristics results are discussed taking a socioconstructivistperspective on learning in religious education (Hermans, 2003).Long-term effects of peace education programs in the context of intractable conflictYigal Rosen, University of Haifa, IsraelPeace education (PE) programs that take place in regions of ongoing conflict face socio-politicalenvironment that for many decades cultivated negative perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and emotionstowards the adversary. Can PE programs stand a chance for changing the psychological foundationthat fueled the conflict through the years? The present study examined the possible differentialchanges in central and peripheral beliefs as a function of Jewish and Palestinian youngsters’participation in a PE program. Furthermore, this study examined the durability of the educationalimpact on the youngsters and affectivity of an "induced-compliance" activity to achieve morelong-term impact of the program. Nine hundred fifty six adolescents participated in this study:About a half of the youth participated in a yearlong school-based PE, when the other half served asa control group. Repeated measurement assessment based on self-report questionnairesimplemented in this study. Findings showed that PE program could effectively influenceadolescents’ peripheral attitudes and beliefs, while the roadblocks of peace education pertain to the– 694 –