Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Timothy C. Bagwell

Abstract

Noticeably absent from the existing literature was a correlation study which would have gauged individual awareness for earthquakes. The literature search provided one quantifiable narrative that correlated college education with awareness about earthquakes; the study found that college graduates scored higher points on the awareness test for earthquakes than their counterparts who had no college education. The research question for this study examined the possible correlations between personal characteristics and awareness about earthquakes. A survey was developed and used to find hypothesized correlations between public awareness and a number of variables such as age, gender, education, income, and professional leadership. Public awareness for induced earthquakes by fossil-fuel operations was the focal point of this research. A sample of 143 respondents responded to an online survey. A linear regression model was fit with awareness about earthquakes as the outcome variable with the following predictors: Gender, age, college education, household income, professional leadership, marital status, political interest, camping experience, and real estate holdings. The results of the correlation test indicated one significant inverse correlation between income and participants’ awareness of earthquakes. The positive social change objective of this research was to enhance public health and safety surrounding earthquakes, especially those related to man-made factors such as oil field drilling. Public awareness may assist agencies in crafting future policies from a public health and safety perspective.

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