Examining the Effects of Earth Science Education in Preventing and Mitigating Psychological Damage from Earthquake Disasters: A Case Study of the Kumamoto Earthquake

2024 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K03239
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09080:Science education-related
• Research Institution: University of Human Environments
• Principal Investigator: Yoshitake Kumi 人間環境大学, 心理学部, 教授 (90706665)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 光井 能麻 名古屋大学, 減災連携研究センター, 招へい教員 (20435837) ; 中川 和之 静岡大学, 防災総合センター, 客員教授 (10836521) ; 坪井 裕子 名古屋市立大学, 大学院人間文化研究科, 教授 (40421268)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2025-03-31
• Keywords: 熊本地震 / 地学教育 / 心の減災

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to examine how pre-disaster earth science education, including seismology, contributes to preventing and mitigating psychological distress during earthquake disasters. Through interview and questionnaire surveys with participants in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, it was found that those who recalled the content of school lessons demonstrated psychological processes in which understanding earthquake mechanisms helped mitigate anxiety, leading to calmer decision-making and more adaptive coping behaviors. In addition, they exhibited higher levels of disaster awareness, suggesting that knowledge gained through earth science education may promote psychological stability during disasters and autonomous disaster-preparedness actions.

Free Research Field

社会心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本は地震多発国であり，社会における地震学の普及は極めて重要である。本研究では，地震学を含む事前の地学教育が被災時の心理的ストレスに与える影響を質的・量的に検証し，教育が災害時の心的安定や防災行動に寄与する心理的プロセスを明らかにした。これは，地学教育の効果に関する学術的知見を拡充するとともに，防災教育の社会的意義を実証的に裏付けるものであり，今後の教育政策や地域防災のあり方に貢献する意義をもつ。