APAM

Social Psychology and Developmental Psychology Research Unit 

The Social Psychology and Developmental Psychology Research Unit, operating under the umbrella of APAM, conducts scientific research in both these subfields of psychology and in the interdisciplinary areas at the intersection of these two subfields. Our research unit aims to strengthen scientific competence through conducting scientific research and training researchers, to train future academics, to support students and researchers in building their desired careers, and to leave a tangible legacy for the new generation of students and researchers. To achieve these goals, our center provides the necessary support to ensure that master's theses and undergraduate projects are published, and guides students and researchers in obtaining physical, material, and academic support through projects. It also provides an environment where students and researchers can present, discuss, apply, and develop their research. Our undergraduate and graduate students can benefit from laboratory facilities both within the scope of research courses and their own projects. This allows our students to gain experience in conducting scientific research from the very beginning of their university education, which contributes to their development of a scientific perspective. 

The Social Psychology research laboratory generally conducts research in social psychology, but specifically focuses on social media and its effects, ethics, and discrimination. Based on the fact that lifelong development encompasses the process from conception to death, our Developmental Psychology research laboratories conduct studies on different stages of human development, particularly from a social development perspective. In terms of periods, the laboratory focuses intensively on childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, with research topics including parenting, close relationships, and social dependence, all related to social development. Some of our studies involve international partners. In addition, our laboratory provides training to individuals who have a meaningful impact on a person's development, such as parents, teachers, and guardians, and organizes workshops that enhance human well-being.  

Emotion and Relationship Research Working Group 

The working group's research focus lies at the intersection of developmental, social, and personality psychology. The aim is to conduct scientific research on the effects of emotional experiences and processes in close relationships on our daily lives. Research is conducted using mixed methods (e.g., diary studies, experiential sampling methods), various statistical approaches including multilevel modeling and structural equation modeling, and open science scientific practices. Our ongoing projects include a series of quantitative research projects on topics such as romantic relationship experiences and positive emotion regulation in interpersonal relationships, as well as the development of standardized measurement tools for examining individual differences in emotional processes. The research is conducted in collaboration with academics from various subfields of psychology at different universities and undergraduate/graduate students in the psychology department. Based on the findings from these studies, developing intervention methods to enhance individual and relational well-being is among our future goals.

Group Director: Dr. Duygu Taşfiliz, Assistant Professor, duygu.tasfiliz@altinbas.edu.tr

Early Childhood and Parenting Research Working Group 

Our laboratory plans to conduct research on the social-emotional and cognitive development of children aged 2-6, which we refer to as the early childhood period. Along with social-emotional areas such as children's attachment security, positive social behaviors, anxiety and avoidance levels, research is also conducted on structural characteristics such as theory of mind and temperament. Parents, who are the most important factor in an individual's development during the early developmental period, are included in the scope of the research. Some of the topics of interest include parents' responsive behavior, attitudes, awareness of their children's mental states, and expectations regarding parenting. Research in these areas requires careful observation of the different dimensions of the parent-child relationship in a controlled environment, making it extremely important to conduct such research in an adequate and qualified laboratory. In these studies, information gathered through tools such as observation, scales, and tests is evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Based on the results of the studies, educational programs and seminars for parents are planned.

Group Director: Dr. Ayşegül Güner Algan, Assistant Professor, aysegul.algan@altinbas.edu.tr  

Attitude, Lynching, and Media Studies Research Group 

Lynching is a phenomenon that directly targets human rights in various dimensions, from the right to life to freedom of expression. In today's social media age, lynching, which manifests itself in the form of individual actions or campaigns, is a social problem that deserves to be included in the social science agenda. In this context, the “Lynching and Media Studies” research group, established under the umbrella of Altınbaş University Research and Application Center, was founded to examine the notion of lynching, which could be argued to have taken on a new meaning, and to investigate/share digital lynching actions occurring in our country in the form of regular reports. To this end, in addition to qualitative studies aimed at revealing individuals' subjective meanings and value systems regarding social media lynching, the research team is conducting studies that examine the potential determinants/predictors of “participating in and/or approving of social media lynching” using relational research techniques. The “IMPLICATE” research group was established to conduct studies aimed at measuring implicit attitudes through emotions. Work is ongoing on the “Alternative and Innovative Tool for Measuring Implicit Associations” project developed within IMPLICATE to develop innovative, deep learning-based software that measures implicit associations through emotions using facial and paralinguistic features.

Group Director: Dr. Burak Emre Gürsoy, Assistant Professor, burak.gursoy@alti 

Clinical Psychology Practice Unit  

The Clinical Psychology Practice Unit within APAM provides an environment where our clinical psychology graduate students can gain the necessary observation, interview, psychological testing, and psychotherapy experience under the supervision of supervisors, enabling them to develop into clinicians with advanced professional skills and a strong commitment to ethical values. Supervision, which is an important part of the clinical psychology master's program education and is considered an educational process, involves psychologists in training discussing and exchanging ideas with their expert instructors about the interviews they have conducted with their clients. This educational process allows our master's students, who will become specialists in the field of clinical psychology, to benefit from the experiences of experienced therapists, while also contributing to the evaluation of the psychological support process by an expert. The opportunities provided by our center aim to support academic competence within the A.Ü. Clinical Psychology Master's Program.

While providing services to those in need of psychological support, the unit also aims to conduct research in the field of mental health that includes various psychological diagnosis samples, covering protective, preventive, and intervention aspects. Additionally, it aims to provide training for mental health professionals, students, and the public to raise awareness.

Unit Director: Dr. Esra Gül Koçyiğit, Assistant Professor, esra.kocyigit@altinbas.edu.tr  

APAM AID 

The APAM AID Unit was established as a peer support unit by our student assistants Alireza Rahmanian and Farah Aleyna Doğan, coordinated by Assistant Professor Duygu Taşfiliz, to assist students in their research processes. The unit was created to help students with many topics, such as brainstorming research questions related to research ideas and research implementation processes, managing application processes for research support programs, communicating with suitable advisors for projects, and data collection and statistical analysis.

Unit assistants: Alireza Rahmanian, alireza.rahmanian@org.altinbas.edu.tr; Farah Aleyna Doğan, farah.dogan@org.altinbas.edu.tr