From tale to reality

Geographical differences in children's flood‐risk perception

Datos Bibliográficos

ID8360493
AutoresMaria Teresa Carone (0000-0001-7145-6425, Marche Polytechnic University), Fausto Marincioni (0000-0002-3365-4321, Marche Polytechnic University, autor de correspondencia)
Año2020
Volumen52
Número1
Páginas116-125
Fecha de publicación2020-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaArea (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0004-0894 • E-ISSN: 1475-4762
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/area.12552
OpenAlexW2935241770
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas24

Few studies have approached children's behaviour during flood disasters, and none of them were in Italy. In this study we performed an analysis of flood‐risk perception in children aged between six and 14 years in three Italian regions characterised by diverse typologies of flood phenomena. To perform such an analysis, we collected data using a fictional story which, through identification with the protagonist, allowed for reliable and spontaneous answers from the young respondents. The studied communities were the pilot areas of the European research project LIFE PRIMES, “Preventing flooding RIsks by Making resilient communitiES.” The findings highlighted various expressed behaviours, with some differences between areas. The most unsafe expressed behaviour was “running outside.” Such a reaction becomes proportionally less important from younger to older respondents. The safest expressed behaviour was “reaching a high place,” which appears later in children and becomes more important from younger to older respondents. Not all communities demonstrated a good correlation between those two behaviours and age groups. The analysis suggests the need to implement educational and training activities specifically focused on children's needs during flood emergencies and that take into account the different geographical conditions in which children live

Flood myth · Flooding (psychology) · Geography · Identification (biology) · Perception · Risk perception · Disaster Management and Resilience · Disaster Response and Management · Ecology · Flood Risk Assessment and Management · Psychology