Evolution vs. Creationism in the Classroom: The Lasting Effects of Science Education
研究利用美国各州科学教育标准中进化论内容覆盖范围的改革，发现扩大进化论教学能提升学生知识、增强成年后对进化论的信仰，并影响从事生命科学工作的概率，但不会改变宗教虔诚度或政治态度。
Abstract Anti-scientific attitudes can impose substantial costs on societies. Can schools be an important agent in mitigating the propagation of such attitudes? This article investigates the effect of the content of science education on anti-scientific attitudes, knowledge, and choices. The analysis exploits staggered reforms that reduce or expand the coverage of evolution theory in U.S. state science education standards. I compare adjacent student cohorts in models with state and cohort fixed effects. There are three main results. First, expanded evolution coverage increases students’ knowledge about evolution. Second, the reforms translate into greater evolution belief in adulthood, but do not crowd out religiosity or affect political attitudes. Third, the reforms affect high-stakes life decisions, namely, the probability of working in life sciences.