The Development of Children’s Beliefs about Earthquake
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Abstract
The study aims to explore how children perceive earthquakes in the age groups of 7, 9, 11, and 13 years, and to identify differences according to age and gender. The sample consisted of 240 children, equally distributed across ages and gender, selected using stratified random sampling from schools in Kirkuk. The study followed the descriptive developmental method and employed the Earthquake Concept Scale (Simsek, 2007), which is based on the conceptual change cognitive theory. The researcher verified the scale’s validity and reliability, with a reliability coefficient of 0.82.
The results indicated that children’s understanding of earthquakes develops with age, with the 11- and 13-year-old groups demonstrating greater ability to explain earthquake-related phenomena. No statistically significant differences were found between boys and girls, although analysis of variance revealed an interaction between age and gender in some older age groups. Based on these findings, the study proposed several recommendations and suggestions.
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