EDUCATION for health can be thought of as a learning process that may involve cognitive, affective, and behavioral components which influence what a person knows, believes, or does about health matters. This learning process is one by which individual knowledge, attitudes, motivations, and behaviors are changed. The educator is one who attempts to facilitate the learning process in a direction deemed appropriate and desirable. Planned intervention is aimed at influencing and persuading an audience, ranging from one person to a large group of people, to (a) practice acceptable health behavior, such as brushing one's teeth regularly or submitting to a medical examination; or (b) refrain from some undesirable behavior, such as smoking cigarettes or using the services of nonscientific practitioners. I will discuss some elements of the learning process, specifically focusing on certain communications characteristics. I also will review the re