Being a Child in Antiquity: Understanding Childhood Through Historical Empathy

Being a Child in Antiquity: Understanding Childhood Through Historical Empathy | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Being a Child in Antiquity: Understanding Childhood Through Historical Empathy Ahmet Durmaz, Eda Şahin, Ahmet Galip Yücel This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8669249/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study aimed to identify and enhance the historical empathy levels of 7th-grade students through activities focused on the psychology of children in antiquity during Social Studies lessons. Students were presented with historical evidence regarding the education and social lives of children in ancient times and engaged in historical empathy activities based on this information. The participants consisted of 20 seventh-grade students enrolled in a middle school in the city center of Kayseri during the 2021–2022 academic year. The study was designed as a case study within the framework of qualitative research methods. During the data collection process, activity sheets containing primary and secondary historical sources were used, and students’ levels of historical empathy learning were analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. The findings indicate that well-structured empathy-based activities enable students to better understand the lives, emotions, and perspectives of children living in antiquity. Such practices not only deepen students’ historical thinking skills but also enhance their ability to relate past human experiences to contemporary issues. Moreover, the study contributes to the design of more meaningful and student-centered learning experiences by offering concrete strategies for fostering historical empathy at the middle school level, thereby providing valuable guidance for teachers and curriculum developers. Historical Empathy Social Studies Empathy Activities Education Introduction The ability to understand another person's emotions and thoughts, and to evaluate situations from their perspective, is an essential skill. This skill is rooted in the concept of "empathy," derived from the Greek word empatheia . At its core, empathy refers to "stepping into the feelings of another person." In the works of Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato, empathy emerges as a virtue essential for individuals. Those who possess this virtue are better equipped to solve problems and overcome challenges. The ability to foster and develop this skill is crucial for promoting mutual understanding and respect among individuals. While people tend to perceive the world through their own experiences and perspectives, understanding others requires adopting their viewpoint, making efforts to comprehend their emotions, thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors (Kaya, 2019; Karn, 2024; Aldrup, Carstensen, & Klusmann, 2021). In this context, it is vital to recognize empathy as a skill that can and should be developed in students. Empathy, which holds significant value in fields such as history education, art, psychology, and philosophy, is regarded as an essential skill in children's education and has been incorporated into educational curricula (Şahin & Aktın, 2021; Elbay & Kaya, 2021; Bulgarelli & Jones, 2023). The Social Studies Curriculum (2023) also emphasizes empathy as a skill to be developed within the scope of this course. Empathy, a key component of historical comprehension, involves not only an external understanding of events and phenomena but also the cognitive ability described by Herder as Einfühlung —the power to grasp, connect, and engage with historical contexts (Low-Beer, 1989, p. 11; cited in Aktın, 2021, p. 158). Historical empathy, one of the critical skills in historical understanding (Dilek, 2007), can be defined as an effort to comprehend the emotions, thoughts, and actions of individuals in historical contexts by taking into account the conditions of the time (Savenije & de Bruijn, 2017; De Leur, Van Boxtel, & Wilschut, 2017; Hartmann & Hasselhorn, 2008). Vansledright (2001) argues that individuals who develop historical empathy can draw connections between the past and the present, identifying similarities and differences, thus enabling a clearer understanding of history. Similarly, Levstik (2001) defines historical empathy as the ability to recognize socio-cultural and political forces of the past, and to grasp not just how but why historical figures acted as they did (Demir, 2019; Bartelds, Savenije, & van Boxtel, 2020; Huijgen et al., 2017). A review of the literature reveals a rapid increase in studies on historical empathy in recent years. Some of these studies focus on strengthening historical empathy through various methods and techniques. For example: Altıkulaç and Gökkaya (2014) found that incorporating memoirs into history lessons positively influenced students' historical empathy skills. Güneş (2019) reported that creative drama methods improved seventh-grade students' historical empathy and increased their interest and willingness to learn history. Demir (2019) demonstrated that activities designed for historical empathy enhanced students' academic achievement and cognitive empathy levels, although they were less effective in improving affective empathy. Aktın (2021), in a study with prospective teachers, showed that participants could establish emotional connections with historical characters and engage in historical empathy by using historical evidence to evaluate past conditions. Additionally, empirical and curriculum‑level studies underline these gains (Conner & Graham, 2022; Bleeze, 2024). Further studies highlight the academic benefits of historical empathy activities: Şahin and Aktın (2021) observed that while sixth-grade students working on historical sources struggled with understanding historical context and perspective-taking, evidence-based activities helped develop cognitive skills. Karabağ (2003) reported that experimental group students achieved higher levels of historical empathy compared to the control group. Elbay (2020), Elbay & Kaya (2021) and Deng (2024) found that implementing a historical empathy model in middle school curricula significantly improved students' academic performance and attitudes toward the course. The literature underscores the importance of fostering historical empathy as a cognitive and emotional skill that enhances students' critical thinking, perspective-taking, and engagement with historical narratives (Karn, 2024; Tschida, Ryan, & Stoddard, 2024; Huijgen, van Boxtel, van de Grift, & Holthuis, 2014). This study aims to explore historical empathy in the context of ancient children's psychology. By conducting an experimental investigation, it seeks to offer students a comprehensive perspective on the lives, emotions, and experiences of children in the past. The education, social roles, and relationships of children in ancient societies, much like today, played a critical role in shaping their psychological development. These factors provide valuable opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of past societies and develop alternative perspectives through historical empathy. Aim A review of the literature on historical empathy reveals that most studies have focused on measuring students' perspective-taking, affective and cognitive contexts, or academic achievement. Publications specifically aimed at measuring students' levels of historical empathy are limited. Research in this area could contribute to the development of practices designed to enhance empathic thinking skills and address this gap in the field. The primary objective of this study is to determine the historical empathy levels of 7th-grade middle school students through activities conducted in conjunction with historical knowledge. It is anticipated that students who engage in these activities will experience an empathetic thinking process, enabling them to understand the experiences of children from the past from a closer perspective. Understanding the experiences of children from antiquity will, in a sense, allow students to become familiar with their own historical roots. Moreover, comprehending the experiences of children from the past will help students critically compare and draw conclusions about their current circumstances in relation to past perceptions and experiences (Taze & Dilek, 2018, p. 1740). Method 1. Research Design The study was designed as a case study, one of the qualitative research methods. The most fundamental feature of a case study is the in-depth investigation of one or several cases (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2008). This research sought to answer the question: "What are the levels of historical empathy demonstrated by students based on historical empathy activities?" In other words, the case studied in this research is determining the historical empathy levels of 7th-grade students through activities. 2. Study Group The study group consists of 20 seventh-grade middle school students studying in Kayseri during the 2021–2022 academic year. The study group was selected through the convenience sampling method, a type of purposive sampling, to ensure speed and practicality in the study. In compliance with research ethics, female students were coded as "KÖ" and male students as "EÖ," starting from 1 (e.g., KÖ1, KÖ2, EÖ1, EÖ2). 3. Data Collection Tool The data collection tools of the study consist of activity sheets that include primary and secondary historical sources. The activities were adapted to the students' levels, and the evidence was simplified for easier comprehension. The worksheets, prepared by the researchers, contained questions aimed at probing historical empathy skills for each activity. 4. Data Analysis The data collected were analyzed using a descriptive analysis approach. In line with the requirements of descriptive analysis, the findings obtained were summarized, interpreted, and presented in tables for the reader (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2008). The students' responses to the questions on the worksheets were descriptively analyzed based on the historical empathy learning levels classified by Ashby and Lee (1987): 1. Level 1: Dumb Past – At this lowest level of historical empathy, students fail to comprehend historical empathy activities and show insufficient empathy. They perceive historical events as nonsensical, interpreting them through contemporary conditions and perspectives. 2. Level 2: Clichéd Generalization – Students at this level explain historical events with stereotypical expressions, use provided information to express opinions, and reproduce transmitted knowledge without making any inferences. 3. Level 3: Everyday Empathy – Students at this level articulate their own thoughts through the voice of a historical character. While the character belongs to the past, their perspective and emotions reflect the present. There is no clear distinction between past and present in the students’ reasoning. 4. Level 4: Limited Historical Empathy – At this level, students achieve limited historical empathy. They understand that the emotions, thoughts, and values of historical figures differ from those of today and grasp the need to interpret events separately from the historical figure's perspective. However, they cannot consider broader perspectives or propose alternative possibilities. 5. Level 5: Contextualized Historical Empathy – Students at this level fully achieve historical empathy, evaluating historical events and figures from a wide perspective, considering alternative possibilities, referencing provided evidence, and interpreting events as though they lived in that period (Ashby & Lee, 1987; as cited in Yılmaz, 2011). 5. Role of the Researcher At the start of the study, the research topic was identified, and a problem was formulated. The researchers conducted an in-depth literature review on both education and social life in the ancient period as well as studies on historical empathy. Activities for the study were then prepared and presented to four field experts for review. After incorporating their feedback, a three-session program was designed. The worksheets used as data collection tools were developed by the researchers. The data analysis was carried out by the researchers within the framework of descriptive analysis. All activities were conducted face-to-face by the researchers with the students. 6. Data Collection Process The data collection process was evaluated in two stages: preparation and implementation. 1. Preparation Stage o The topic of "Being a Child in the Ancient Period" was chosen as the focus of the study for its originality and its potential to engage students. o A literature review on the period was conducted, and the documents to be used in the study were selected, ensuring the content was suitable for students' comprehension and not negatively impactful. o Activities and activity questions were prepared to measure students' historical empathy skills, such as: "Put yourself in the shoes of these children and evaluate their situation from their perspective. Write down your feelings." The questions were reviewed by two experts, and necessary adjustments were made. 2. Implementation Stage o The implementation lasted three class sessions, during which the researchers introduced themselves, provided information about the study, gave a brief presentation on the ancient period, distributed activity sheets, and guided students through the activities. 7. Validity and Reliability 1. Validity – Detailed explanations of the research process and data collection were provided. Findings were supported by students' direct expressions, and the researchers maintained objectivity throughout the study. 2. Reliability – To ensure consistency, the researchers' roles were clearly defined, data collection was aligned with the research objectives, and the results were thoroughly explained. Findings And Discussion The findings related to the students' ability to demonstrate historical empathy in social studies classes were analyzed through activity sheets. Three activities were conducted with the students, and their responses were categorized and analyzed using Ashby and Lee's (1987) levels of learning historical empathy. The results were presented and interpreted with direct quotations to enhance clarity. Findings from the First Activity In the first activity, students were provided with the following historical evidence: "In Ancient societies, unwanted children were sometimes abandoned either before or after birth. Fathers could decide to abandon their child for various reasons, such as the child being sickly, disabled, unwanted due to gender, or because the family could not afford to care for the child. In some cases, fathers could even decide to have the child killed" (Erdemir, 2012). Following this, students were asked: "Imagine yourself in the place of these children. Think as they would, and write about your situation and feelings regarding the circumstances they faced." Students' historical empathy levels in this activity were assessed and categorized as shown in Table 1 . Table 1. Students' Levels of Historical Empathy in the First Activity Historical empathy levels Girls Boys Total Dumb Past 1 2 3 Clichéd Generalization 7 5 12 Everyday Empathy 1 1 2 Limited Historical Empathy 1 - 1 Contextualized Historical Empathy - - - Total 18 As seen in Table 1, the majority of students in the first activity remained at the level of stereotypical generalization, attempting to explain the practices and behaviors of individuals in ancient societies using clichéd information. In contrast, it is observed that their progression to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th levels was relatively low. This suggests that, in general, the students displayed relatively low levels of historical empathy in this activity. Below are some of the responses from students at different levels within the framework of the activity. The expression used by Student EÖ8, who is at the "dumb past" level, in the first activity is as follows: "I think this situation is a pitiable thoughtlessness and great ignorance." Upon examining EÖ8’s statement in the first activity, it is clear that they are at the initial stage of historical empathy learning. The student has failed to empathize sufficiently and perceives the practices of the time as nonsensical. Furthermore, they have not made any evaluations about the beliefs and values of people from the past. The student’s use of the term “ignorance” aligns with Shelmilt’s (1984) description, where students at the first level of historical empathy mistakenly perceive those who lived in the past as intellectually and emotionally inferior to themselves. Similarly, EÖ2 states, "The reason for these events is ignorance," reflecting the belief that people from the past were less developed than themselves. Student EÖ1, who remains at the level of clichéd generalization, expressed the following in the first activity: "Abandoned children are left at a young age and that’s why they find themselves outside before even learning to walk, and they die immediately. If there is no family to take care of them, and if the family consists of seven people, they will all go hungry. In other words, the six siblings with the disabled one will all starve. Therefore, both situations would be very bad for them." EÖ1’s statements in the first activity suggest that, based on the historical evidence presented to them, they have made an evaluation, but they have assessed the events from an external perspective and failed to form historical empathy. The following is the expression used by EÖ6, who is at the "everyday empathy" level, in the first activity: "The situation I’m in is very bad, but since there’s no solution, they just abandon me and leave me to die." From EÖ6’s statements, it is clear that the student attempts to place themselves in the position of a child from that era by saying, "The situation I’m in," and narrates the experience from the perspective of the character. However, the student’s own thought processes and those of the children from that time cannot be distinguished. Based on this response, it can be concluded that the student is at the everyday empathy level. The expression used by Student KÖ9, who is at the "limited historical empathy" level, in the first activity is as follows: "When I empathize with children, being abandoned due to uncontrollable circumstances or my gender would really be a bad feeling. But if my family couldn’t take care of me, instead of killing me, they could leave me somewhere. Then someone else could come and take me." KÖ9’s statements in the first activity show that the student is able to empathize, even if to a limited extent, by placing themselves in the shoes of a child in such circumstances. The phrase "if my family couldn’t take care of me, instead of killing me, they could leave me somewhere" indicates that the student has used the historical evidence presented to form an evaluation. Moreover, the phrase "they could leave me somewhere" shows that the student attempts to propose a solution using their own reasoning. However, due to their limited ability to explain the events within the given context and provide a more comprehensive interpretation, it is considered that the student remains at the limited historical empathy level. Considering the expressions of the students in the first activity, no student was found to be at a contextually appropriate level of historical empathy. Findings from the Second Activity In the second activity, students were presented with the following historical evidence: "In Ancient societies, teachers sometimes resorted to punishments during education, using tools such as sticks, slippers, and whips as instruments of corporal punishment" (Erdemir, 2012). Subsequently, students were asked: "Imagine you are in a school in Athens. You are being punished by your teacher—beaten for misbehaving or failing to complete your assignments properly. How would you feel and what would you think in this situation? Please write your thoughts. How do you evaluate teachers punishing students in this way in the context of education during that era?" Students' levels of historical empathy were assessed in this activity as follows: Table 2. Students' Levels of Historical Empathy in the Second Activity Historical empathy levels Girls Boys Total Dumb Past 1 - 1 Clichéd Generalization 3 6 9 Everyday Empathy 4 2 6 Limited Historical Empathy 2 1 3 Contextualized Historical Empathy 1 - 1 Total 20 As shown in Table 2, in the second activity, the majority of students, similar to the first activity, remain at the level of stereotypical generalization. They attempt to explain the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors of children in that era based on clichés. However, compared to the previous activity, we can observe that a higher number of students reached levels 3, 4, and 5 in this activity. This suggests that a significant portion of students were able to place themselves in the shoes of children from that period, evaluating events from their perspective, while still reflecting the events through their own emotions and thoughts. Below are responses from some students categorized by their levels within the context of the activity. At the level of dumb history, KÖ4’s statements in the second activity are as follows: “I mean, I don’t know, it’s an extremely inappropriate and foolish thing. If I were in that situation, I couldn’t forget it, I’d never be able to go to school again. It’s a disgusting situation. No matter what, children should never be treated like this. I believe this should never happen.” An examination of KÖ4’s statements in the second activity reveals that phrases such as “an extremely inappropriate and foolish thing. A disgusting situation” indicate that the student is at the first stage of historical empathy. The student evaluates the behaviors of teachers in that period as foolish and disgusting, showing a lack of empathy, and does not attempt to assess why teachers acted in that manner. At the level of clichéd generalization, KÖ5’s statements in the second activity are as follows: “If a student doesn’t do their homework, they should first be warned. Then, if they still don’t do it, it should be communicated to their family. Physical punishment should never be used. No one learns anything through punishment. In fact, it will make them act out more. Their academic life will be greatly affected. They won’t pay attention to their lessons.” An analysis of KÖ5’s statements shows that the student attempts to explain teachers' actions, thoughts, reasons for treating students in such a manner, and the possible emotions students might have felt based on stereotypical knowledge. The student does not show empathy and makes an external judgment of the events. At the level of everyday empathy, EÖ6’s statements in the second activity are as follows: “I would feel very uncomfortable because nothing is accomplished through physical punishment or fighting. Moreover, I would lose the desire to go to school. Whether in the past or now, punishment is wrong because nothing is achieved through violence.” EÖ6’s statements reveal that the student attempts to express the situation from the perspective of a child in that period based on the historical evidence provided. The student also attempts to establish a connection between the past and present, evaluating the teachers' actions. However, it seems the student has used a modern perspective to assess the past, so their responses reflect everyday empathy. At the level of limited historical empathy, KÖ9’s statements in the second activity are as follows: “In the past, if you were working in the fields or with livestock and went to school, being punished would have been very bad. If you didn’t do household chores and studied instead, you’d get punished by your family. If you didn’t do your homework and helped your family, you’d be punished at school. Discipline is established, but through bad means. It disregards the hardships of that time. This method doesn’t work because the child, after receiving those beatings, no longer wants to go to school. Those beatings deprive the child of their education.” KÖ9’s statements indicate that the student attempts to explain the teachers' punishments in detail, sometimes as an external narrator, and with limited empathy, places themselves in the position of a child from that era. The student understands the difficulties of the time and explains them in detail, proposing possible outcomes of the child’s behavior, such as “the child no longer wants to go to school” because of the punishment. At the level of contextualized historical empathy, KÖ2’s statements in the second activity are as follows: “First, I would expect a punishment because I didn’t fulfill my responsibility, but it would upset me if my teacher did that. After all, I am a person, and if they talked to me, I would understand and do my homework next time. There’s no need for violence. When the teacher beats the child, the child becomes silent, shy. Because beating a child in front of their classmates makes the child quieter, and they become disenchanted with school. If the teacher talks to the child, everything would improve. I also shouldn’t upset my teacher, and I should do my homework so that my teacher doesn’t hit me with a slipper or stick.” KÖ2’s statements reveal that the student has thoroughly considered the thoughts and feelings of a child from that period, demonstrating a high level of historical empathy. The student extensively used the evidence provided, integrating their own reasoning into the analysis. They independently considered the possible outcomes of historical figures’ actions within the context of the period. Findings from the Third Activity In the third activity, students were presented with the following historical evidence: "In Ancient societies, it was deemed sufficient for girls to know how to read and write just enough to manage their daily lives. Girls usually spent their time at home or nearby and were married off at a certain age, which was considered an honor. Athenian girls rarely left home except for festivals. They were trained in domestic skills such as cooking and weaving, like their mothers" (Erdemir, 2012). Students were then asked: "Carefully read the text above. How do you think girls living during that time might have evaluated their situation? Imagine yourself as a girl living in Athens in the 8th century BCE. You spend most of your time at home, and when you reach a certain age, you marry and move to your husband’s house. Write your thoughts and feelings about this situation. Can you relate the above situation to today?" Students' levels of historical empathy in this activity were assessed as follows: Table 3. Students' Levels of Historical Empathy in the Third Activity Historical empathy levels Girls Boys Total Dumb Past 3 - 3 Clichéd Generalization 7 3 10 Everyday Empathy 3 2 5 Limited Historical Empathy - 1 1 Contextualized Historical Empathy - - - Total 19 As seen in Table 3, in the third activity, the majority of students remain at the level of stereotypical generalization, similar to the second activity. The students explain the situation of girls in the ancient period, their emotions and thoughts, based on stereotypical information, unable to detach themselves from present-day perspectives. Additionally, there is a higher number of students at the "ignorant past" level in this activity. Female students evaluated the exclusion of girls from schooling and their daily lives in ancient times from today's perspective, calling it "nonsense and illogical." Moreover, compared to the previous activity, fewer students reach levels 4 and 5 in this activity. This indicates that a significant number of students could not place themselves in the shoes of individuals from that era, and they evaluated the events with their own feelings and thoughts, without achieving historical empathy. Below are some responses from students according to their levels in the context of the activity. The response of KÖ6, who is at the "dumb past" level, in the third activity is as follows: "It is a very bad thing that girls can't go out and can't go to school; it seems ignorant to me. Girls are not anyone's slaves. I am not forced to cook and knit." When examining KÖ6's statements in the third activity, the phrases "very bad thing" and "seems ignorant to me" show that the student evaluates the events entirely from today's perspective and fails to take the historical context into account. The student does not offer any reasoning as to why girls were raised in such a manner during that time. KÖ5, at the level of clichéd generalization, expresses the following in the third activity: "The situation of girls has always been the same. Girls should be educated just like boys. Fine, they can cook and knit, but not just that. They can go out, go to school, and wear what they want." In KÖ5's response, the student tries to explain the upbringing of girls in ancient times based on stereotypical information, evaluating the fact that girls were not sent to school and spent their time at home learning domestic tasks from an external perspective, without achieving historical empathy. KÖ2, at the everyday empathy level, states the following in the third activity: "I would be very upset if I were in that situation at home. I would want to go to school like boys and spend time with my friends. I would help my mother with housework, cook, and iron, but I wouldn't want to marry right away. I would want to do everything as it comes and in time." KÖ2's statement in the third activity indicates an attempt to express what a girl from that time might have felt, based on the provided historical evidence, though without making generalizations. The student explains their own feelings and thoughts but does not make sufficient inferences about the past. Therefore, it can be said that the student is at the level of daily empathy. The response of EÖ8, who is at the limited historical empathy level, in the third activity is as follows: "Actually, we see that this is still the case today. Girls do housework and are expected to marry. When they become mothers, they have to learn to cook to take care of their children. They can't go anywhere at any time like us. I think this is necessary to protect them, because there are bad people outside, and since girls can't protect themselves, something might happen to them. There are wars in that era and no security. Staying at home would be better for them." EÖ8's response in the third activity shows an attempt to explain the life of a girl in ancient times, combining the historical evidence with a modern perspective. The student tries to explain why girls were raised in such a manner, considering the conditions of that time, and demonstrates limited historical empathy. However, it can be stated that the student did not fully reflect the characteristics of context-appropriate historical empathy, as they did not explain the events in the language of the period. No data was found at the context-appropriate historical empathy level in the third activity. Conclusion, Discussion, And Recommendations This study was conducted to determine the historical empathy levels of 7th-grade students through activities involving historical knowledge in the Social Studies course. It was hypothesized that students would engage in an empathetic thinking process through these activities, gaining insights into the lives of children from the past and being encouraged to view historical events from their perspective. In research on historical empathy, Altıkulaç and Gökkaya (2014) found that most students remained at the second and third levels of historical empathy during the activities. The findings of this study align with these results. In the current study, students predominantly remained at the level of stereotypical generalizations and daily empathy. Furthermore, Altıkulaç and Gökkaya (2014) indicated that no student was found to engage with the past from the "stupid past" perspective. Unlike that study, however, this research found that a limited number of students assessed historical events in the ancient period as absurd, evaluating actions of historical figures with today’s perspective without using their empathetic skills. Some students demonstrated an understanding of the reasons behind practices in the ancient period and the motivations of historical figures, trying to explain them, which corresponds with the findings of Kaygısız (2019). Kaygısız (2019) stated that students demonstrated empathetic understanding in recognizing the reasons behind events and behaviors of people. Similarly, Doğan (2019) found that students used historical empathy to make connections between historical events and understand their causes, attempting to interpret history from the perspective of the past. In his study with 7th-grade students, Çalışkan (2008) concluded that students could establish cognitive, affective, and psychomotor historical empathy with historical figures. Şahin and Aktın (2021) pointed out that some students analyzed historical events through the lens of present-day perspectives, failing to distinguish the differences between past and present. In this study, some students failed to grasp that historical figures in the ancient period had different beliefs and thoughts, evaluating events with a contemporary viewpoint. Gürsoylar (2019) found that students aged 13–14 were able to assess historical topics, suggesting that students in this age group could engage in historical empathy, trying to evaluate historical developments without adding personal interpretations. In this study, students who exhibited limited historical empathy and contextually appropriate historical empathy primarily evaluated historical events within the conditions of their time, trying to think like the historical figures. However, this was achieved by a limited number of students. Aktın (2021) in a study titled “A Historical Empathy Study: Being a Soldier in Sarıkamış” with teacher candidates, found that individuals successfully engaged in historical empathy by using historical sources effectively, considering the conditions of the past. In this study, a few students successfully engaged in empathy, evaluating events through today's perspective, and responded at lower levels of historical empathy. Similarly, Kaygısız (2019) found that 7th-grade students exhibited low levels of empathy, failing to distinguish between past and present, and were not adequately able to understand and respect the actions of people from the past. Karabağ (2003) also found that students in a control group either failed to answer questions or exhibited low levels of historical empathy. Conversely, the experimental group achieved higher empathy levels, suggesting that historical empathy is a skill that can be developed over time. Information about the past is crucial for students to engage in historical thinking, and it is expected that this knowledge will develop with time. However, having knowledge does not always guarantee good historical empathy (Karabağ, 2003, p. 223). Results based on the activities · A limited number of students successfully applied empathetic thinking skills to explain how children from the ancient period might have felt or thought. However, most students were able to evaluate events from the perspective of children in the ancient period, sometimes using their imagination to interpret the events. · This study found that students generally remained at the levels of stereotypical generalizations and daily empathy. A few students exhibited "stupid past" thinking, limited historical empathy, and contextually appropriate historical empathy. In some activities, students struggled to evaluate and comprehend historical evidence, indicating that they required the researcher’s support and guidance. · The majority of students were found to be at the level of stereotypical generalizations, explaining the behaviors, emotions, and thoughts of children and historical figures from the ancient period using generalized knowledge. Students at this level were unable to apply their empathetic skills and could only comment on the reasons behind the events, yet from an external perspective. · After stereotypical generalizations, students were most commonly found to be at the daily empathy level. These students explained events and experiences as if they were children from the ancient period, but in doing so, they projected their own emotions and thoughts onto the events. In other words, they evaluated events from a contemporary viewpoint. · A limited number of students were found to be at the "stupid past" level. These students evaluated the experiences of children in the ancient period as absurd and judged the actions of historical figures without utilizing their empathy skills, applying today’s perspective instead. · According to the findings, a small number of students exhibited limited historical empathy. These students, though few, were able to empathize with historical figures from the ancient period, attempting to assess the experiences of children and others through the lens of the past. However, they still struggled to view the events from a broader perspective and failed to consider alternative possibilities related to the practices of the time. Conclusion and Recommendations Based on the results, the majority of 7th-grade students evaluated characters, practices, and events from the specified period with a contemporary perspective, failing to consider the conditions of the past. In light of these findings, it is recommended that schools engage in activities aimed at developing students’ empathy skills. Further research can be conducted by comparing different grade levels to determine whether age influences historical empathy abilities. Considering that most students were unable to demonstrate historical empathy in this study, it may be worth evaluating whether the topics covered are suitable for their level or interesting to them. Researchers in this field should consider these factors and give them due attention. Declarations The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper titled "Understanding child psychology in antiquity: Activities to develop historical empathy in education" No financial support was received for the research, authorship, or publication of this article. The authors have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. Ethics Statement This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University (Approval Date: May 30, 2022; Meeting No: 06; Decision No: 183). Informed consent was obtained from all participants and their legal guardians prior to data collection. Participation was voluntary, and the confidentiality and anonymity of the participants were ensured throughout the research process. References Aktın, K. (2021). A Historical Empathy Study: Being a Soldier in Sarıkamış. Journal of Milli Eğitim, 50(229), 157–178. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/milliegitim/issue/60215/874748 Aldrup, K., Carstensen, B., & Klusmann, U. (2021). Is empathy the key to effective teaching? A systematic review of its association with teacher–student interactions and student outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 34, 1177–1216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09649-y Altıkulaç, A., & Gökkaya, K. (2014). The Effect On Historical Empathy Skill Using of Memoirs in History Teaching. Electronic Turkish Studies, 9(1), 21–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.6504 Bartelds, H., Savenije, G. M., & van Boxtel, C. (2020). Students’ and teachers’ beliefs about historical empathy in secondary history education. Theory & Research in Social Education , 48 (4), 529–551. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2020.1808131 Bleeze, R. (2024). Fostering historical consciousness and empathy in lower secondary students: A comparative study of Australia and Singapore. Heliyon, 10 e25769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25769 Bulgarelli, C., & Jones, E. J. H. (2023). The typical and atypical development of empathy: How big is the gap from lab to field? JCPP Advances, 3(1), e12136. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12136 Çalışkan, H. (June 23–25, 2008). An Example of Using Historical Empathy in Social Studies: Campaign Diaries. Proceedings of the International Conference on Educational Sciences, Gazimağusa, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazimağusa. Conner, C. J., & Graham, T. C. (2022). Using an Instructional Model of Historical Empathy to Teach the Holocaust. The Social Studies , 114 (1), 19–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2022.2073582 De Leur, T., van Boxtel, C., & Wilschut, A. (2017). “I saw angry people and broken statues”: Historical empathy in secondary history education. British Journal of Educational Studies , 65 (3), 331–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2017.1291902 Demir, B. (2019). The effect of activities based historical empathy in social studies lesson on students’ historical empathy skills and success. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Sakarya University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, Sakarya. https://acikerisim.sakarya.edu.tr/handle/20.500.12619/74507 Deng, X. (2024). Historical empathy can longitudinally predict adolescent students’ history achievement via classroom engagement. Educational Psychology , 44 (8), 893-910. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2024.2406327 Dilek, D. (2007). Learning and Developing Thought in History Classes (3rd ed.). Ankara: Nobel. Doğan, B. (2019). Teaching the “Kemalism and Modernizing Turkey” Unit with Historical Empathy in Middle School Revolution History and Kemalism Course: A Phenomenological Study. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Marmara University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Primary Education, İstanbul. https://avesis.marmara.edu.tr/yonetilen-tez/4e0aa155-afd0-4102-819d-5a13807d172e/ortaokul-t-c-inkilap-tarihi-ve-ataturkculuk-dersinde-ataturkculuk-ve-cagdaslasan-turkiye-unitesinin-tarihsel-empati-ile-ogretimi-fenomenolojik-bir-calisma Elbay, S. (2020). Investigation the effect of historical empathy model applied in course Republic of Turkey Revolution History and Kemalism middle school on academic achievement and attitude for course. [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. Anadolu University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, Eskişehir. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ Elbay, S., & Kaya, E. (2021). Understanding the multiple effects of historical empathy: A study explanatory mixed method. Turkish Online Journal of Qualitative Inquiry, 12*(2), 329–356. https://doi.org/10.17569/tojqi.851525 Güneş, S. (2019). An activity based action research aiming historical empathy thorough creative drama in social studies . [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Bartın University, Graduate School of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, Bartın. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ Gürsoylar, G. (2019). The use of historical empathy in teaching cultural and heritage learning area in secondary school 7th grade social studies course: An action research . [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Marmara University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Primary Education, İstanbul. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ Hartmann, U., & Hasselhorn, M. (2008). Historical perspective taking: A standardized measure for an aspect of students’ historical thinking. Learning and Individual Differences , 18 (2), 264–270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2007.10.002 Huijgen, T., Van Boxtel, C., Van de Grift, W., & Holthuis, P. (2014). The construction of valid and reliable measurement instruments to assess students’ historical perspective taking. European Journal of Psychology of Education . (29), 653-672. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-014-0219-4 Huijgen, T., Van Boxtel, C., Van de Grift, W. & Holthuis, P. (2017). Toward historical perspective taking: Students’ reasoning when contextualizing the actions of people in the past. Journal of Social Studies Research , (45), 110-144. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2016.1208597 Karabağ, Ş. G. (2003). The historical empathy as a teachable and a cognitive skill. [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. Gazi University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Ankara. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ Karaçalı Taze, H., & Dilek, G. (2018). I Invite You To Put Yourselves In Our Shoes And Think”: A Study Of Historical Empathy On The Teaching Of Women’s Rights. Kastamonu Education Journal, 26(5), 1737–1750. https://doi.org/10.24106/kefdergi.2548 Karn, S. (2024). Designing historical empathy learning experiences: A pedagogical tool for history teachers. History Education Research Journal , 21 (1). https://doi.org/10.14324/HERJ.21.1.06 Kaya, U. (2019). Examination of the effect communication and empathic skills education to pre-teens' communication and empathic skills. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Toros University, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Mersin. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezDetay.jsp?id=Igk9EqdsThgDJwtpVuVGtQ&no=kYYq_RLmdR93I7Du9xkgwA Kaygısız, N. (2019). Investigation of social studies courses held by historical empathy activities according to student products and views. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Sakarya University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, Sakarya. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezDetay.jsp?id=s3bMmOyjiOTPv2SyECAWDg&no=0zHFeK-f5pnnAtPibz50Pw Ministry of National Education (MEB). (2023). Social Studies Curriculum for Grades 4–5–6–7. Ankara. https://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/201812103847686-SOSYAL%20B%C4%B0LG%C4%B0LER%20%C3%96%C4%9ERET%C4%B0M%20PROGRAMI%20.pdf Savenije, G. M., & de Bruijn, P. (2017). Historical empathy in a museum: Uniting contextualisation and emotional engagement. International Journal of Heritage Studies , 23 (9), 832–845. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2017.1339108 Şahin, S. & Aktın, K. (2021). A Sample Study on Examining Students' Experiences of Historical Empathy. International Journal of Humanities and Education, 15, 169–194. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ijhe/issue/62183/903823 Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2008). Qualitative Research Methods in Social Sciences (6th ed.). Ankara: Seçkin Publishing. Yılmaz, K. (2011). Historical Empathy in Social Studies and History Teaching: The Ability to Look at the Past from the Perspective of People in the Past. In R. Turan, A. M. Sünbül, H. Akdağ (Eds.), New Approaches in Social Studies Teaching-II (pp. 12–30). Ankara: Pegem Publishing. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8669249","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":581673698,"identity":"8e248662-ffe9-47de-8e02-7aea84b240fc","order_by":0,"name":"Ahmet Durmaz","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSDmAWL7ZuYDIK4MMVoYG0BaDNjbEkBcHhK08JwxYIDaiB/wz+5Of/B2zzZ7c4mcz69u1FjwMLAfProBryV3zm5snPPsNrPljNxt1jnHgA7jSUu7gdeaG7kbm3kO3GYDMrYZ57ABtUjwmOHVIg/VwsNwI+eZcc4/IrQYQLVIGJw5w/w4t40ILYZALTPnHLhtINneZsac2yfBw0bIL3I3cjd8eHPgtj0/M/Pjzznf6uT42Q8fw+99JMAmASaJVQ4CzB9IUT0KRsEoGAUjBwAA7rhNPKG87qoAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ahmet","middleName":"","lastName":"Durmaz","suffix":""},{"id":581673699,"identity":"a1145971-bc61-4809-97a9-1babbfb6fb28","order_by":1,"name":"Eda Şahin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Eda","middleName":"","lastName":"Şahin","suffix":""},{"id":581673700,"identity":"1f7689e7-22de-4902-8dbf-acf468e3244c","order_by":2,"name":"Ahmet Galip Yücel","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ahmet","middleName":"Galip","lastName":"Yücel","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-22 11:40:25","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8669249/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8669249/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":101751815,"identity":"03d956b2-9ff0-4983-b7e2-2209383c74a7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-03 10:23:45","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":714728,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8669249/v1/aafc0fd6-d99a-4683-b9a3-bd406c64960a.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Being a Child in Antiquity: Understanding Childhood Through Historical Empathy","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe ability to understand another person's emotions and thoughts, and to evaluate situations from their perspective, is an essential skill. This skill is rooted in the concept of \"empathy,\" derived from the Greek word \u003cem\u003eempatheia\u003c/em\u003e. At its core, empathy refers to \"stepping into the feelings of another person.\" In the works of Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato, empathy emerges as a virtue essential for individuals. Those who possess this virtue are better equipped to solve problems and overcome challenges. The ability to foster and develop this skill is crucial for promoting mutual understanding and respect among individuals. While people tend to perceive the world through their own experiences and perspectives, understanding others requires adopting their viewpoint, making efforts to comprehend their emotions, thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors (Kaya, 2019; Karn, 2024; Aldrup, Carstensen, \u0026amp; Klusmann, 2021). In this context, it is vital to recognize empathy as a skill that can and should be developed in students. Empathy, which holds significant value in fields such as history education, art, psychology, and philosophy, is regarded as an essential skill in children's education and has been incorporated into educational curricula (Şahin \u0026amp; Aktın, 2021; Elbay \u0026amp; Kaya, 2021; Bulgarelli \u0026amp; Jones, 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Social Studies Curriculum (2023) also emphasizes empathy as a skill to be developed within the scope of this course. Empathy, a key component of historical comprehension, involves not only an external understanding of events and phenomena but also the cognitive ability described by Herder as \u003cem\u003eEinfühlung\u003c/em\u003e—the power to grasp, connect, and engage with historical contexts (Low-Beer, 1989, p. 11; cited in Aktın, 2021, p. 158). Historical empathy, one of the critical skills in historical understanding (Dilek, 2007), can be defined as an effort to comprehend the emotions, thoughts, and actions of individuals in historical contexts by taking into account the conditions of the time (Savenije \u0026amp; de Bruijn, 2017; De Leur, Van Boxtel, \u0026amp; Wilschut, 2017; Hartmann \u0026amp; Hasselhorn, 2008).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVansledright (2001) argues that individuals who develop historical empathy can draw connections between the past and the present, identifying similarities and differences, thus enabling a clearer understanding of history. Similarly, Levstik (2001) defines historical empathy as the ability to recognize socio-cultural and political forces of the past, and to grasp not just how but \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e historical figures acted as they did (Demir, 2019;\u0026nbsp;Bartelds, Savenije, \u0026amp; van Boxtel, 2020; Huijgen et al., 2017).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA review of the literature reveals a rapid increase in studies on historical empathy in recent years. Some of these studies focus on strengthening historical empathy through various methods and techniques. For example:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul type=\"disc\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAltıkulaç and Gökkaya (2014) found that incorporating memoirs into history lessons positively influenced students' historical empathy skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eGüneş (2019) reported that creative drama methods improved seventh-grade students' historical empathy and increased their interest and willingness to learn history.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eDemir (2019) demonstrated that activities designed for historical empathy enhanced students' academic achievement and cognitive empathy levels, although they were less effective in improving affective empathy.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAktın (2021), in a study with prospective teachers, showed that participants could establish emotional connections with historical characters and engage in historical empathy by using historical evidence to evaluate past conditions.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAdditionally, empirical and curriculum‑level studies underline these gains (Conner \u0026amp; Graham, 2022; Bleeze, 2024).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFurther studies highlight the academic benefits of historical empathy activities:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul type=\"disc\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eŞahin and Aktın (2021) observed that while sixth-grade students working on historical sources struggled with understanding historical context and perspective-taking, evidence-based activities helped develop cognitive skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eKarabağ (2003) reported that experimental group students achieved higher levels of historical empathy compared to the control group.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eElbay (2020), Elbay \u0026amp; Kaya (2021) and Deng (2024) found that implementing a historical empathy model in middle school curricula significantly improved students' academic performance and attitudes toward the course.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe literature underscores the importance of fostering historical empathy as a cognitive and emotional skill that enhances students' critical thinking, perspective-taking, and engagement with historical narratives (Karn, 2024; Tschida, Ryan, \u0026amp; Stoddard, 2024; Huijgen, van Boxtel, van de Grift, \u0026amp; Holthuis, 2014).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study aims to explore historical empathy in the context of ancient children's psychology. By conducting an experimental investigation, it seeks to offer students a comprehensive perspective on the lives, emotions, and experiences of children in the past. The education, social roles, and relationships of children in ancient societies, much like today, played a critical role in shaping their psychological development. These factors provide valuable opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of past societies and develop alternative perspectives through historical empathy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAim\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA review of the literature on historical empathy reveals that most studies have focused on measuring students' perspective-taking, affective and cognitive contexts, or academic achievement. Publications specifically aimed at measuring students' levels of historical empathy are limited. Research in this area could contribute to the development of practices designed to enhance empathic thinking skills and address this gap in the field.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe primary objective of this study is to determine the historical empathy levels of 7th-grade middle school students through activities conducted in conjunction with historical knowledge. It is anticipated that students who engage in these activities will experience an empathetic thinking process, enabling them to understand the experiences of children from the past from a closer perspective. Understanding the experiences of children from antiquity will, in a sense, allow students to become familiar with their own historical roots. Moreover, comprehending the experiences of children from the past will help students critically compare and draw conclusions about their current circumstances in relation to past perceptions and experiences (Taze \u0026amp; Dilek, 2018, p. 1740).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Method","content":"\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. Research Design\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study was designed as a case study, one of the qualitative research methods. The most fundamental feature of a case study is the in-depth investigation of one or several cases (Yıldırım \u0026amp; Şimşek, 2008). This research sought to answer the question: \u003cem\u003e\"What are the levels of historical empathy demonstrated by students based on historical empathy activities?\"\u003c/em\u003e In other words, the case studied in this research is determining the historical empathy levels of 7th-grade students through activities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. Study Group\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study group consists of 20 seventh-grade middle school students studying in Kayseri during the 2021–2022 academic year. The study group was selected through the convenience sampling method, a type of purposive sampling, to ensure speed and practicality in the study. In compliance with research ethics, female students were coded as \"KÖ\" and male students as \"EÖ,\" starting from 1 (e.g., KÖ1, KÖ2, EÖ1, EÖ2).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3. Data Collection Tool\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data collection tools of the study consist of activity sheets that include primary and secondary historical sources. The activities were adapted to the students' levels, and the evidence was simplified for easier comprehension. The worksheets, prepared by the researchers, contained questions aimed at probing historical empathy skills for each activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4. Data Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data collected were analyzed using a descriptive analysis approach. In line with the requirements of descriptive analysis, the findings obtained were summarized, interpreted, and presented in tables\u0026nbsp;for the reader (Yıldırım \u0026amp; Şimşek, 2008). The students' responses to the questions on the worksheets were descriptively analyzed based on the historical empathy learning levels classified by Ashby and Lee (1987):\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. \u003cstrong\u003eLevel 1: Dumb Past\u003c/strong\u003e – At this lowest level of historical empathy, students fail to comprehend historical empathy activities and show insufficient empathy. They perceive historical events as nonsensical, interpreting them through contemporary conditions and perspectives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. \u003cstrong\u003eLevel 2: Clichéd Generalization\u003c/strong\u003e – Students at this level explain historical events with stereotypical expressions, use provided information to express opinions, and reproduce transmitted knowledge without making any inferences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. \u003cstrong\u003eLevel 3: Everyday Empathy\u003c/strong\u003e – Students at this level articulate their own thoughts through the voice of a historical character. While the character belongs to the past, their perspective and emotions reflect the present. There is no clear distinction between past and present in the students’ reasoning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4. \u003cstrong\u003eLevel 4: Limited Historical Empathy\u003c/strong\u003e – At this level, students achieve limited historical empathy. They understand that the emotions, thoughts, and values of historical figures differ from those of today and grasp the need to interpret events separately from the historical figure's perspective. However, they cannot consider broader perspectives or propose alternative possibilities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5. \u003cstrong\u003eLevel 5: Contextualized Historical Empathy\u003c/strong\u003e – Students at this level fully achieve historical empathy, evaluating historical events and figures from a wide perspective, considering alternative possibilities, referencing provided evidence, and interpreting events as though they lived in that period (Ashby \u0026amp; Lee, 1987; as cited in Yılmaz, 2011).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5. Role of the Researcher\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the start of the study, the research topic was identified, and a problem was formulated. The researchers conducted an in-depth literature review on both education and social life in the ancient period as well as studies on historical empathy. Activities for the study were then prepared and presented to four field experts for review. After incorporating their feedback, a three-session program was designed. The worksheets used as data collection tools were developed by the researchers. The data analysis was carried out by the researchers within the framework of descriptive analysis. All activities were conducted face-to-face by the researchers with the students.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e6. Data Collection Process\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data collection process was evaluated in two stages: preparation and implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. \u003cstrong\u003ePreparation Stage\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eo The topic of \"Being a Child in the Ancient Period\" was chosen as the focus of the study for its originality and its potential to engage students.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eo A literature review on the period was conducted, and the documents to be used in the study were selected, ensuring the content was suitable for students' comprehension and not negatively impactful.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eo Activities and activity questions were prepared to measure students' historical empathy skills, such as:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Put yourself in the shoes of these children and evaluate their situation from their perspective. Write down your feelings.\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe questions were reviewed by two experts, and necessary adjustments were made.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. \u003cstrong\u003eImplementation Stage\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eo The implementation lasted three class sessions, during which the researchers introduced themselves, provided information about the study, gave a brief presentation on the ancient period, distributed activity sheets, and guided students through the activities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e7. Validity and Reliability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. \u003cstrong\u003eValidity\u003c/strong\u003e – Detailed explanations of the research process and data collection were provided. Findings were supported by students' direct expressions, and the researchers maintained objectivity throughout the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. \u003cstrong\u003eReliability\u003c/strong\u003e – To ensure consistency, the researchers' roles were clearly defined, data collection was aligned with the research objectives, and the results were thoroughly explained.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Findings And Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings related to the students\u0026apos; ability to demonstrate historical empathy in social studies classes were analyzed through activity sheets. Three activities were conducted with the students, and their responses were categorized and analyzed using Ashby and Lee\u0026apos;s (1987) levels of learning historical empathy. The results were presented and interpreted with direct quotations to enhance clarity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFindings from the First Activity\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the first activity, students were provided with the following historical evidence:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;In Ancient societies, unwanted children were sometimes abandoned either before or after birth. Fathers could decide to abandon their child for various reasons, such as the child being sickly, disabled, unwanted due to gender, or because the family could not afford to care for the child. In some cases, fathers could even decide to have the child killed\u0026quot; (Erdemir, 2012).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing this, students were asked:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;Imagine yourself in the place of these children. Think as they would, and write about your situation and feelings regarding the circumstances they faced.\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudents\u0026apos; historical empathy levels in this activity were assessed and categorized as shown in\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003eTable 1\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 1. Students\u0026apos; Levels of Historical Empathy in the First Activity\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHistorical empathy levels\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGirls\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoys\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDumb Past\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eClich\u0026eacute;d Generalization\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEveryday Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLimited Historical Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eContextualized Historical Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs seen in Table 1, the majority of students in the first activity remained at the level of stereotypical generalization, attempting to explain the practices and behaviors of individuals in ancient societies using clich\u0026eacute;d information. In contrast, it is observed that their progression to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th levels was relatively low. This suggests that, in general, the students displayed relatively low levels of historical empathy in this activity. Below are some of the responses from students at different levels within the framework of the activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe expression used by Student E\u0026Ouml;8, who is at the \u0026quot;dumb past\u0026quot; level, in the first activity is as follows:\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;I think this situation is a pitiable thoughtlessness and great ignorance.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpon examining E\u0026Ouml;8\u0026rsquo;s statement in the first activity, it is clear that they are at the initial stage of historical empathy learning. The student has failed to empathize sufficiently and perceives the practices of the time as nonsensical. Furthermore, they have not made any evaluations about the beliefs and values of people from the past. The student\u0026rsquo;s use of the term \u0026ldquo;ignorance\u0026rdquo; aligns with Shelmilt\u0026rsquo;s (1984) description, where students at the first level of historical empathy mistakenly perceive those who lived in the past as intellectually and emotionally inferior to themselves. Similarly, E\u0026Ouml;2 states, \u0026quot;The reason for these events is ignorance,\u0026quot; reflecting the belief that people from the past were less developed than themselves.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudent E\u0026Ouml;1, who remains at the level of clich\u0026eacute;d generalization, expressed the following in the first activity:\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Abandoned children are left at a young age and that\u0026rsquo;s why they find themselves outside before even learning to walk, and they die immediately. If there is no family to take care of them, and if the family consists of seven people, they will all go hungry. In other words, the six siblings with the disabled one will all starve. Therefore, both situations would be very bad for them.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE\u0026Ouml;1\u0026rsquo;s statements in the first activity suggest that, based on the historical evidence presented to them, they have made an evaluation, but they have assessed the events from an external perspective and failed to form historical empathy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following is the expression used by E\u0026Ouml;6, who is at the \u0026quot;everyday empathy\u0026quot; level, in the first activity:\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;The situation I\u0026rsquo;m in is very bad, but since there\u0026rsquo;s no solution, they just abandon me and leave me to die.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom E\u0026Ouml;6\u0026rsquo;s statements, it is clear that the student attempts to place themselves in the position of a child from that era by saying, \u0026quot;The situation I\u0026rsquo;m in,\u0026quot; and narrates the experience from the perspective of the character. However, the student\u0026rsquo;s own thought processes and those of the children from that time cannot be distinguished. Based on this response, it can be concluded that the student is at the everyday empathy level.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe expression used by Student K\u0026Ouml;9, who is at the \u0026quot;limited historical empathy\u0026quot; level, in the first activity is as follows:\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;When I empathize with children, being abandoned due to uncontrollable circumstances or my gender would really be a bad feeling. But if my family couldn\u0026rsquo;t take care of me, instead of killing me, they could leave me somewhere. Then someone else could come and take me.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eK\u0026Ouml;9\u0026rsquo;s statements in the first activity show that the student is able to empathize, even if to a limited extent, by placing themselves in the shoes of a child in such circumstances. The phrase \u0026quot;if my family couldn\u0026rsquo;t take care of me, instead of killing me, they could leave me somewhere\u0026quot; indicates that the student has used the historical evidence presented to form an evaluation. Moreover, the phrase \u0026quot;they could leave me somewhere\u0026quot; shows that the student attempts to propose a solution using their own reasoning. However, due to their limited ability to explain the events within the given context and provide a more comprehensive interpretation, it is considered that the student remains at the limited historical empathy level.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsidering the expressions of the students in the first activity, no student was found to be at a contextually appropriate level of historical empathy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFindings from the Second Activity\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the second activity, students were presented with the following historical evidence:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;In Ancient societies, teachers sometimes resorted to punishments during education, using tools such as sticks, slippers, and whips as instruments of corporal punishment\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e (Erdemir, 2012).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubsequently, students were asked:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;Imagine you are in a school in Athens. You are being punished by your teacher\u0026mdash;beaten for misbehaving or failing to complete your assignments properly. How would you feel and what would you think in this situation? Please write your thoughts. How do you evaluate teachers punishing students in this way in the context of education during that era?\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudents\u0026apos; levels of historical empathy were assessed in this activity as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2. Students\u0026apos; Levels of Historical Empathy in the Second Activity\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHistorical empathy levels\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGirls\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoys\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDumb Past\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eClich\u0026eacute;d Generalization\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEveryday Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLimited Historical Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eContextualized Historical Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table 2, in the second activity, the majority of students, similar to the first activity, remain at the level of stereotypical generalization. They attempt to explain the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors of children in that era based on clich\u0026eacute;s. However, compared to the previous activity, we can observe that a higher number of students reached levels 3, 4, and 5 in this activity. This suggests that a significant portion of students were able to place themselves in the shoes of children from that period, evaluating events from their perspective, while still reflecting the events through their own emotions and thoughts. Below are responses from some students categorized by their levels within the context of the activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the level of dumb history, K\u0026Ouml;4\u0026rsquo;s statements in the second activity are as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I mean, I don\u0026rsquo;t know, it\u0026rsquo;s an extremely inappropriate and foolish thing. If I were in that situation, I couldn\u0026rsquo;t forget it, I\u0026rsquo;d never be able to go to school again. It\u0026rsquo;s a disgusting situation. No matter what, children should never be treated like this. I believe this should never happen.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn examination of K\u0026Ouml;4\u0026rsquo;s statements in the second activity reveals that phrases such as \u0026ldquo;an extremely inappropriate and foolish thing. A disgusting situation\u0026rdquo; indicate that the student is at the first stage of historical empathy. The student evaluates the behaviors of teachers in that period as foolish and disgusting, showing a lack of empathy, and does not attempt to assess why teachers acted in that manner.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the level of clich\u0026eacute;d generalization, K\u0026Ouml;5\u0026rsquo;s statements in the second activity are as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;If a student doesn\u0026rsquo;t do their homework, they should first be warned. Then, if they still don\u0026rsquo;t do it, it should be communicated to their family. Physical punishment should never be used. No one learns anything through punishment. In fact, it will make them act out more. Their academic life will be greatly affected. They won\u0026rsquo;t pay attention to their lessons.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn analysis of K\u0026Ouml;5\u0026rsquo;s statements shows that the student attempts to explain teachers\u0026apos; actions, thoughts, reasons for treating students in such a manner, and the possible emotions students might have felt based on stereotypical knowledge. The student does not show empathy and makes an external judgment of the events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the level of everyday empathy, E\u0026Ouml;6\u0026rsquo;s statements in the second activity are as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I would feel very uncomfortable because nothing is accomplished through physical punishment or fighting. Moreover, I would lose the desire to go to school. Whether in the past or now, punishment is wrong because nothing is achieved through violence.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE\u0026Ouml;6\u0026rsquo;s statements reveal that the student attempts to express the situation from the perspective of a child in that period based on the historical evidence provided. The student also attempts to establish a connection between the past and present, evaluating the teachers\u0026apos; actions. However, it seems the student has used a modern perspective to assess the past, so their responses reflect everyday empathy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the level of limited historical empathy, K\u0026Ouml;9\u0026rsquo;s statements in the second activity are as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;In the past, if you were working in the fields or with livestock and went to school, being punished would have been very bad. If you didn\u0026rsquo;t do household chores and studied instead, you\u0026rsquo;d get punished by your family. If you didn\u0026rsquo;t do your homework and helped your family, you\u0026rsquo;d be punished at school. Discipline is established, but through bad means. It disregards the hardships of that time. This method doesn\u0026rsquo;t work because the child, after receiving those beatings, no longer wants to go to school. Those beatings deprive the child of their education.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eK\u0026Ouml;9\u0026rsquo;s statements indicate that the student attempts to explain the teachers\u0026apos; punishments in detail, sometimes as an external narrator, and with limited empathy, places themselves in the position of a child from that era. The student understands the difficulties of the time and explains them in detail, proposing possible outcomes of the child\u0026rsquo;s behavior, such as \u0026ldquo;the child no longer wants to go to school\u0026rdquo; because of the punishment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the level of contextualized historical empathy, K\u0026Ouml;2\u0026rsquo;s statements in the second activity are as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;First, I would expect a punishment because I didn\u0026rsquo;t fulfill my responsibility, but it would upset me if my teacher did that. After all, I am a person, and if they talked to me, I would understand and do my homework next time. There\u0026rsquo;s no need for violence. When the teacher beats the child, the child becomes silent, shy. Because beating a child in front of their classmates makes the child quieter, and they become disenchanted with school. If the teacher talks to the child, everything would improve. I also shouldn\u0026rsquo;t upset my teacher, and I should do my homework so that my teacher doesn\u0026rsquo;t hit me with a slipper or stick.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eK\u0026Ouml;2\u0026rsquo;s statements reveal that the student has thoroughly considered the thoughts and feelings of a child from that period, demonstrating a high level of historical empathy. The student extensively used the evidence provided, integrating their own reasoning into the analysis. They independently considered the possible outcomes of historical figures\u0026rsquo; actions within the context of the period.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFindings from the Third Activity\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the third activity, students were presented with the following historical evidence:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;In Ancient societies, it was deemed sufficient for girls to know how to read and write just enough to manage their daily lives. Girls usually spent their time at home or nearby and were married off at a certain age, which was considered an honor. Athenian girls rarely left home except for festivals. They were trained in domestic skills such as cooking and weaving, like their mothers\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e (Erdemir, 2012).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudents were then asked:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026quot;Carefully read the text above. How do you think girls living during that time might have evaluated their situation? Imagine yourself as a girl living in Athens in the 8th century BCE. You spend most of your time at home, and when you reach a certain age, you marry and move to your husband\u0026rsquo;s house. Write your thoughts and feelings about this situation. Can you relate the above situation to today?\u0026quot;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudents\u0026apos; levels of historical empathy in this activity were assessed as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 3. Students\u0026apos; Levels of Historical Empathy in the Third Activity\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHistorical empathy levels\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGirls\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoys\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDumb Past\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eClich\u0026eacute;d Generalization\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEveryday Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLimited Historical Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eContextualized Historical Empathy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 148px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 144px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs seen in Table 3, in the third activity, the majority of students remain at the level of stereotypical generalization, similar to the second activity. The students explain the situation of girls in the ancient period, their emotions and thoughts, based on stereotypical information, unable to detach themselves from present-day perspectives. Additionally, there is a higher number of students at the \u0026quot;ignorant past\u0026quot; level in this activity. Female students evaluated the exclusion of girls from schooling and their daily lives in ancient times from today\u0026apos;s perspective, calling it \u0026quot;nonsense and illogical.\u0026quot; Moreover, compared to the previous activity, fewer students reach levels 4 and 5 in this activity. This indicates that a significant number of students could not place themselves in the shoes of individuals from that era, and they evaluated the events with their own feelings and thoughts, without achieving historical empathy. Below are some responses from students according to their levels in the context of the activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe response of K\u0026Ouml;6, who is at the \u0026quot;dumb past\u0026quot; level, in the third activity is as follows: \u0026quot;It is a very bad thing that girls can\u0026apos;t go out and can\u0026apos;t go to school; it seems ignorant to me. Girls are not anyone\u0026apos;s slaves. I am not forced to cook and knit.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen examining K\u0026Ouml;6\u0026apos;s statements in the third activity, the phrases \u0026quot;very bad thing\u0026quot; and \u0026quot;seems ignorant to me\u0026quot; show that the student evaluates the events entirely from today\u0026apos;s perspective and fails to take the historical context into account. The student does not offer any reasoning as to why girls were raised in such a manner during that time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eK\u0026Ouml;5, at the level of clich\u0026eacute;d generalization, expresses the following in the third activity: \u0026quot;The situation of girls has always been the same. Girls should be educated just like boys. Fine, they can cook and knit, but not just that. They can go out, go to school, and wear what they want.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn K\u0026Ouml;5\u0026apos;s response, the student tries to explain the upbringing of girls in ancient times based on stereotypical information, evaluating the fact that girls were not sent to school and spent their time at home learning domestic tasks from an external perspective, without achieving historical empathy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eK\u0026Ouml;2, at the everyday empathy level, states the following in the third activity: \u0026quot;I would be very upset if I were in that situation at home. I would want to go to school like boys and spend time with my friends. I would help my mother with housework, cook, and iron, but I wouldn\u0026apos;t want to marry right away. I would want to do everything as it comes and in time.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eK\u0026Ouml;2\u0026apos;s statement in the third activity indicates an attempt to express what a girl from that time might have felt, based on the provided historical evidence, though without making generalizations. The student explains their own feelings and thoughts but does not make sufficient inferences about the past. Therefore, it can be said that the student is at the level of daily empathy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe response of E\u0026Ouml;8, who is at the limited historical empathy level, in the third activity is as follows: \u0026quot;Actually, we see that this is still the case today. Girls do housework and are expected to marry. When they become mothers, they have to learn to cook to take care of their children. They can\u0026apos;t go anywhere at any time like us. I think this is necessary to protect them, because there are bad people outside, and since girls can\u0026apos;t protect themselves, something might happen to them. There are wars in that era and no security. Staying at home would be better for them.\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eE\u0026Ouml;8\u0026apos;s response in the third activity shows an attempt to explain the life of a girl in ancient times, combining the historical evidence with a modern perspective. The student tries to explain why girls were raised in such a manner, considering the conditions of that time, and demonstrates limited historical empathy. However, it can be stated that the student did not fully reflect the characteristics of context-appropriate historical empathy, as they did not explain the events in the language of the period.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo data was found at the context-appropriate historical empathy level in the third activity.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion, Discussion, And Recommendations","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted to determine the historical empathy levels of 7th-grade students through activities involving historical knowledge in the Social Studies course. It was hypothesized that students would engage in an empathetic thinking process through these activities, gaining insights into the lives of children from the past and being encouraged to view historical events from their perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn research on historical empathy, Altıkula\u0026ccedil; and G\u0026ouml;kkaya (2014) found that most students remained at the second and third levels of historical empathy during the activities. The findings of this study align with these results. In the current study, students predominantly remained at the level of stereotypical generalizations and daily empathy. Furthermore, Altıkula\u0026ccedil; and G\u0026ouml;kkaya (2014) indicated that no student was found to engage with the past from the \u0026quot;stupid past\u0026quot; perspective. Unlike that study, however, this research found that a limited number of students assessed historical events in the ancient period as absurd, evaluating actions of historical figures with today\u0026rsquo;s perspective without using their empathetic skills. Some students demonstrated an understanding of the reasons behind practices in the ancient period and the motivations of historical figures, trying to explain them, which corresponds with the findings of Kaygısız (2019). Kaygısız (2019) stated that students demonstrated empathetic understanding in recognizing the reasons behind events and behaviors of people. Similarly, Doğan (2019) found that students used historical empathy to make connections between historical events and understand their causes, attempting to interpret history from the perspective of the past. In his study with 7th-grade students, \u0026Ccedil;alışkan (2008) concluded that students could establish cognitive, affective, and psychomotor historical empathy with historical figures.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eŞahin and Aktın (2021) pointed out that some students analyzed historical events through the lens of present-day perspectives, failing to distinguish the differences between past and present. In this study, some students failed to grasp that historical figures in the ancient period had different beliefs and thoughts, evaluating events with a contemporary viewpoint.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eG\u0026uuml;rsoylar (2019) found that students aged 13\u0026ndash;14 were able to assess historical topics, suggesting that students in this age group could engage in historical empathy, trying to evaluate historical developments without adding personal interpretations. In this study, students who exhibited limited historical empathy and contextually appropriate historical empathy primarily evaluated historical events within the conditions of their time, trying to think like the historical figures. However, this was achieved by a limited number of students.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAktın (2021) in a study titled \u0026ldquo;A Historical Empathy Study: Being a Soldier in Sarıkamış\u0026rdquo; with teacher candidates, found that individuals successfully engaged in historical empathy by using historical sources effectively, considering the conditions of the past. In this study, a few students successfully engaged in empathy, evaluating events through today\u0026apos;s perspective, and responded at lower levels of historical empathy. Similarly, Kaygısız (2019) found that 7th-grade students exhibited low levels of empathy, failing to distinguish between past and present, and were not adequately able to understand and respect the actions of people from the past. Karabağ (2003) also found that students in a control group either failed to answer questions or exhibited low levels of historical empathy. Conversely, the experimental group achieved higher empathy levels, suggesting that historical empathy is a skill that can be developed over time. Information about the past is crucial for students to engage in historical thinking, and it is expected that this knowledge will develop with time. However, having knowledge does not always guarantee good historical empathy (Karabağ, 2003, p. 223).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results based on the activities","content":"\u003cp\u003e· A limited number of students successfully applied empathetic thinking skills to explain how children from the ancient period might have felt or thought. However, most students were able to evaluate events from the perspective of children in the ancient period, sometimes using their imagination to interpret the events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e· This study found that students generally remained at the levels of stereotypical generalizations and daily empathy. A few students exhibited \"stupid past\" thinking, limited historical empathy, and contextually appropriate historical empathy. In some activities, students struggled to evaluate and comprehend historical evidence, indicating that they required the researcher’s support and guidance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e· The majority of students were found to be at the level of stereotypical generalizations, explaining the behaviors, emotions, and thoughts of children and historical figures from the ancient period using generalized knowledge. Students at this level were unable to apply their empathetic skills and could only comment on the reasons behind the events, yet from an external perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e· After stereotypical generalizations, students were most commonly found to be at the daily empathy level. These students explained events and experiences as if they were children from the ancient period, but in doing so, they projected their own emotions and thoughts onto the events. In other words, they evaluated events from a contemporary viewpoint.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e· A limited number of students were found to be at the \"stupid past\" level. These students evaluated the experiences of children in the ancient period as absurd and judged the actions of historical figures without utilizing their empathy skills, applying today’s perspective instead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e· According to the findings, a small number of students exhibited limited historical empathy. These students, though few, were able to empathize with historical figures from the ancient period, attempting to assess the experiences of children and others through the lens of the past. However, they still struggled to view the events from a broader perspective and failed to consider alternative possibilities related to the practices of the time.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion and Recommendations","content":"\u003cp\u003eBased on the results, the majority of 7th-grade students evaluated characters, practices, and events from the specified period with a contemporary perspective, failing to consider the conditions of the past. In light of these findings, it is recommended that schools engage in activities aimed at developing students’ empathy skills. Further research can be conducted by comparing different grade levels to determine whether age influences historical empathy abilities. Considering that most students were unable to demonstrate historical empathy in this study, it may be worth evaluating whether the topics covered are suitable for their level or interesting to them. Researchers in this field should consider these factors and give them due attention.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper titled \"Understanding child psychology in antiquity: Activities to develop historical empathy in education\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo financial support was received for the research, authorship, or publication of this article. The authors have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University (Approval Date: May 30, 2022; Meeting No: 06; Decision No: 183). Informed consent was obtained from all participants and their legal guardians prior to data collection. Participation was voluntary, and the confidentiality and anonymity of the participants were ensured throughout the research process.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAktın, K. (2021). A Historical Empathy Study: Being a Soldier in Sarıkamış. \u003cem\u003eJournal of\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eMilli Eğitim,\u003c/em\u003e 50(229), 157\u0026ndash;178. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/milliegitim/issue/60215/874748 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAldrup, K., Carstensen, B., \u0026amp; Klusmann, U. (2021). Is empathy the key to effective teaching? A systematic review of its association with teacher\u0026ndash;student interactions and student outcomes. \u003cem\u003eEducational Psychology Review,\u003c/em\u003e 34, 1177\u0026ndash;1216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09649-y \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAltıkula\u0026ccedil;, A., \u0026amp; G\u0026ouml;kkaya, K. (2014). The Effect On Historical Empathy Skill Using of Memoirs in History Teaching. \u003cem\u003eElectronic Turkish Studies,\u003c/em\u003e 9(1), 21\u0026ndash;35. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.6504\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBartelds, H., Savenije, G. M., \u0026amp; van Boxtel, C. (2020). Students\u0026rsquo; and teachers\u0026rsquo; beliefs about historical empathy in secondary history education. \u003cem\u003eTheory \u0026amp; Research in Social Education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e48\u003c/em\u003e(4), 529\u0026ndash;551. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2020.1808131\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBleeze, R. (2024). Fostering historical consciousness and empathy in lower secondary students: A comparative study of Australia and Singapore. \u003cem\u003eHeliyon,\u003c/em\u003e 10 e25769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25769 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBulgarelli, C., \u0026amp; Jones, E. J. H. (2023). The typical and atypical development of empathy: How big is the gap from lab to field? \u003cem\u003eJCPP Advances,\u003c/em\u003e 3(1), e12136. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12136 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u0026Ccedil;alışkan, H. (June 23\u0026ndash;25, 2008). An Example of Using Historical Empathy in Social Studies: Campaign Diaries. \u003cem\u003eProceedings of the International Conference on Educational Sciences,\u003c/em\u003e Gazimağusa, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazimağusa. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConner, C. J., \u0026amp; Graham, T. C. (2022). Using an Instructional Model of Historical Empathy to Teach the Holocaust. \u003cem\u003eThe Social Studies\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e114\u003c/em\u003e(1), 19\u0026ndash;35. https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2022.2073582\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDe Leur, T., van Boxtel, C., \u0026amp; Wilschut, A. (2017). \u0026ldquo;I saw angry people and broken statues\u0026rdquo;: Historical empathy in secondary history education. \u003cem\u003eBritish Journal of Educational Studies\u003c/em\u003e, 65 (3), 331\u0026ndash;352. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2017.1291902 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDemir, B. (2019). \u003cem\u003eThe effect of activities based historical empathy in social studies lesson on students\u0026rsquo; historical empathy skills and success.\u003c/em\u003e [Unpublished master\u0026rsquo;s thesis]. Sakarya University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, Sakarya. https://acikerisim.sakarya.edu.tr/handle/20.500.12619/74507 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeng, X. (2024). Historical empathy can longitudinally predict adolescent students\u0026rsquo; history achievement via classroom engagement. \u003cem\u003eEducational Psychology\u003c/em\u003e, 44 (8), 893-910. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2024.2406327 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDilek, D. (2007). \u003cem\u003eLearning and Developing Thought in History Classes\u003c/em\u003e (3rd ed.). Ankara: Nobel.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoğan, B. (2019). \u003cem\u003eTeaching the \u0026ldquo;Kemalism and Modernizing Turkey\u0026rdquo; Unit with Historical Empathy in Middle School Revolution History and Kemalism Course: A Phenomenological Study.\u003c/em\u003e [Unpublished master\u0026rsquo;s thesis]. Marmara University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Primary Education, İstanbul. https://avesis.marmara.edu.tr/yonetilen-tez/4e0aa155-afd0-4102-819d-5a13807d172e/ortaokul-t-c-inkilap-tarihi-ve-ataturkculuk-dersinde-ataturkculuk-ve-cagdaslasan-turkiye-unitesinin-tarihsel-empati-ile-ogretimi-fenomenolojik-bir-calisma \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eElbay, S. (2020). \u003cem\u003eInvestigation the effect of historical empathy model applied in course Republic of Turkey Revolution History and Kemalism middle school on academic achievement and attitude for course.\u003c/em\u003e [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. Anadolu University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, Eskişehir. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eElbay, S., \u0026amp; Kaya, E. (2021). Understanding the multiple effects of historical empathy: A study explanatory mixed method. \u003cem\u003eTurkish Online Journal of Qualitative Inquiry,\u003c/em\u003e 12*(2), 329\u0026ndash;356. https://doi.org/10.17569/tojqi.851525 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eG\u0026uuml;neş, S. (2019). \u003cem\u003eAn activity based action research aiming historical empathy thorough creative drama in social studies\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e. \u003c/em\u003e[Unpublished master\u0026rsquo;s thesis]. Bartın University, Graduate School of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, Bartın. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eG\u0026uuml;rsoylar, G. (2019). \u003cem\u003eThe use of historical empathy in teaching cultural and heritage learning area in secondary school 7th grade social studies course: An action research\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e. \u003c/em\u003e[Unpublished master\u0026rsquo;s thesis]. Marmara University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Primary Education, İstanbul. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHartmann, U., \u0026amp; Hasselhorn, M. (2008). Historical perspective taking: A standardized measure for an aspect of students\u0026rsquo; historical thinking. \u003cem\u003eLearning and Individual Differences\u003c/em\u003e, 18 (2), 264\u0026ndash;270.\u003cu\u003e https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2007.10.002\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHuijgen, T., Van Boxtel, C., Van de Grift, W., \u0026amp; Holthuis, P. (2014). The construction of valid and reliable measurement instruments to assess students\u0026rsquo; historical perspective taking. \u003cem\u003eEuropean Journal of Psychology of Education\u003c/em\u003e. (29), 653-672.\u003cu\u003e https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-014-0219-4\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHuijgen, T., Van Boxtel, C., Van de Grift, W. \u0026amp; Holthuis, P. (2017). Toward historical perspective taking: Students\u0026rsquo; reasoning when contextualizing the actions of people in the past. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Social Studies Research\u003c/em\u003e, (45), 110-144.\u003cu\u003e https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2016.1208597\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKarabağ, Ş. G. (2003). The historical empathy as a teachable and a cognitive skill. [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. Gazi University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Ankara. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKara\u0026ccedil;alı Taze, H., \u0026amp; Dilek, G. (2018). I Invite You To Put Yourselves In Our Shoes And Think\u0026rdquo;: A Study Of Historical Empathy On The Teaching Of Women\u0026rsquo;s Rights. \u003cem\u003eKastamonu Education Journal,\u003c/em\u003e 26(5), 1737\u0026ndash;1750. https://doi.org/10.24106/kefdergi.2548\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKarn, S. (2024). Designing historical empathy learning experiences: A pedagogical tool for history teachers. \u003cem\u003eHistory Education Research Journal\u003c/em\u003e, 21 (1). https://doi.org/10.14324/HERJ.21.1.06 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKaya, U. (2019). \u003cem\u003eExamination of the effect communication and empathic skills education to pre-teens\u0026apos; communication and empathic skills.\u003c/em\u003e [Unpublished master\u0026rsquo;s thesis]. Toros University, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Mersin. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezDetay.jsp?id=Igk9EqdsThgDJwtpVuVGtQ\u0026amp;no=kYYq_RLmdR93I7Du9xkgwA \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKaygısız, N. (2019). \u003cem\u003eInvestigation of social studies courses held by historical empathy activities according to student products and views.\u003c/em\u003e [Unpublished master\u0026rsquo;s thesis]. Sakarya University, Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, Sakarya. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezDetay.jsp?id=s3bMmOyjiOTPv2SyECAWDg\u0026amp;no=0zHFeK-f5pnnAtPibz50Pw \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMinistry of National Education (MEB). (2023). \u003cem\u003eSocial Studies Curriculum for Grades 4\u0026ndash;5\u0026ndash;6\u0026ndash;7.\u003c/em\u003e Ankara. https://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/201812103847686-SOSYAL%20B%C4%B0LG%C4%B0LER%20%C3%96%C4%9ERET%C4%B0M%20PROGRAMI%20.pdf \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSavenije, G. M., \u0026amp; de Bruijn, P. (2017). Historical empathy in a museum: Uniting contextualisation and emotional engagement. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Heritage Studies\u003c/em\u003e, 23 (9), 832\u0026ndash;845. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2017.1339108 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eŞahin, S. \u0026amp; Aktın, K. (2021). A Sample Study on Examining Students\u0026apos; Experiences of Historical Empathy. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Humanities and Education,\u003c/em\u003e 15, 169\u0026ndash;194. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ijhe/issue/62183/903823 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYıldırım, A., \u0026amp; Şimşek, H. (2008). \u003cem\u003eQualitative Research Methods in Social Sciences\u003c/em\u003e (6th ed.). Ankara: Se\u0026ccedil;kin Publishing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYılmaz, K. (2011). Historical Empathy in Social Studies and History Teaching: The Ability to Look at the Past from the Perspective of People in the Past. In R. Turan, A. M. S\u0026uuml;nb\u0026uuml;l, H. Akdağ (Eds.), \u003cem\u003eNew Approaches in Social Studies Teaching-II\u003c/em\u003e (pp. 12\u0026ndash;30). Ankara: Pegem Publishing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Historical Empathy, Social Studies, Empathy Activities, Education","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8669249/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8669249/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to identify and enhance the historical empathy levels of 7th-grade students through activities focused on the psychology of children in antiquity during Social Studies lessons. Students were presented with historical evidence regarding the education and social lives of children in ancient times and engaged in historical empathy activities based on this information. The participants consisted of 20 seventh-grade students enrolled in a middle school in the city center of Kayseri during the 2021\u0026ndash;2022 academic year. The study was designed as a case study within the framework of qualitative research methods. During the data collection process, activity sheets containing primary and secondary historical sources were used, and students\u0026rsquo; levels of historical empathy learning were analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. The findings indicate that well-structured empathy-based activities enable students to better understand the lives, emotions, and perspectives of children living in antiquity. Such practices not only deepen students\u0026rsquo; historical thinking skills but also enhance their ability to relate past human experiences to contemporary issues. Moreover, the study contributes to the design of more meaningful and student-centered learning experiences by offering concrete strategies for fostering historical empathy at the middle school level, thereby providing valuable guidance for teachers and curriculum developers.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Being a Child in Antiquity: Understanding Childhood Through Historical Empathy","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-30 11:56:26","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8669249/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"4ecdccd6-7101-4099-945a-4e005c3a8e6e","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 30th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-30T11:56:26+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-30 11:56:26","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8669249","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8669249","identity":"rs-8669249","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}