Faculty |
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Engin Arık, PhD Acting Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Head of the Department Professor PhD: Linguistics, Purdue University (USA) Research Areas: Linguistics, Psychology, and Cognitive Sciences, Space-Time-Language-Cognition Concepts, Their Conceptualization, and Applied Psycholinguistics E-mail: engin.arik@agu.edu.tr
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Dr Engin Arık earned his PhD in Linguistics from Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, in 2009, his MA in Linguistics from the University of Amsterdam in 2003, and his BA in Psychology from Koc University, Istanbul, in 2001. Dr Arık's interests lie in linguistics, psychology, and cognitive sciences. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Turk Psikoloji Dergisi. In his research, he uses experimental, corpus, and computational methods. Dr Arık is currently interested in space-time-language-cognition concepts, their conceptualization, and applied psycholinguistics. |
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Ahmet Çoymak, PhD Associate Professor Post-doc: Connecticut University, Intergroup Relations Lab PhD: Psychology, Queen's University, Belfast (UK) Research Areas: Social Self Content, Gender Relationships, Civic Engagement, Political Trust, Stereotypes, and Prejudice. E-mail: ahmet.coymak@agu.edu.tr |
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Ahmet Çoymak (pronounced Choymok) is a transnational peace activist and peace psychologist. He earned his MSc in social psychology from Middle East Technical University (METU) in Turkey, where he studied the psychological dynamics of the intractable Kurdish-Turkish conflict. He then moved to Northern Ireland to pursue his PhD in political psychology at Queen's University Belfast in 2015, where he studied the complex nature of multiple social identities and intergroup trust in the aftermath of Northern Ireland's bitter conflict between Protestant and Catholic communities. His PhD research was founded by the Institute of Child Care Research at Queen's University Belfast. Dr Çoymak then relocated to the United States to pursue post-doctoral research on cross-national research on national identity contents and justice perception in human nature at Connecticut University's Intergroup Relation Lab as TUBİTAK post-doc fellow. Following that, he was appointed as a WEISS research scholar at Columbia University's Psychology department's Barnard College, where he worked as a full-time faculty member for two years. In 2020, he returned to Turkey, where he is now affiliated with and the founder of the Abdullah Gul University School of Psychology in Kayseri, Turkey. His primary political psychology research interests include, but are not limited to, social self content, gender relationships, civic engagement, political trust, stereotypes, and prejudice. |
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M. Akif Güzel, PhD Vice Chair Associate Professor PhD: Cognitive Psychology, University of Southampton Research Areas: Metacognition, Retrieval Processes, Experimental Psychopathology; also, Cognitive Factors in Eating Behaviour and Metacognitive Processes in Mathematics Education Among Elementary School Students E-mail: akif.guzel@agu.edu.tr |
| Dr. Mehmet Akif Güzel obtained his Ph.D. degree in cognitive psychology from the University of Southampton, England, The United Kingdom, in 2012. Following his BSc degree in psychology that he obtained from the Middle East Technical University (METU; 2005), he completed his master’s degree in clinical psychology at METU again (2007). Along with working as a teaching assistant at the University of Southampton between 2008 and 2010, he has been working as an assistant professor at various psychology departments in Turkey and The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus since he obtained his PhD degree. His research interests are on memory and metamemory, and particularly on the retrieval of autobiographical memories and the metacognitive regulation processes observed in everyday behaviours. Besides having a research line on investigating the grading methods of PISA mathematical abilities amongst primary school children, he has been recently investigating eating behaviours and the related eating and feeding problems from the metacognition perspective. | |
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Siyabend Kaya, PhD Associate Professor PhD: Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading (UK) Research Areas: Brief-Emergency Psychotherapy, Projective Techniques, Developmental and Traumatic Crises in Adolescents, Adolescent Depression, Anhedonia, Panic Disorder, Qualitative and Mixed-Method Research. E-mail:siyabend.kaya@agu.edu.tr
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| Dr Siyabend Kaya obtained his BSc degree from Adıyaman University in 2012. Right after graduation, he worked as a School Counsellor in secondary and high schools, and as a Counselling Psychologist in a Counselling & Research Centre affiliated with the Ministry and National Education. He completed his MSc (2015) and PhD (2020) in Counselling Psychology at Inonu University in Turkey. Between 2013-2018, he worked as a research assistant in the developmental psychology department at Bingöl University. During this period, he assisted in many courses such as "Introduction to Psychology", "Cognitive Psychology", "Clinical Psychology", "Psychopathology", "Substance Abuse" and "Brief-Dynamic Therapy". Kaya, who is both the "Brief-Emergency and Intensive Psychotherapy (B.E.P.)" and "Projective Tests (Thematic Apperception Test, Children Apperception Test and Louisa Duss)" practitioner, took part as a researcher in scientific research projects supported by TUBITAK and Higher Education Institutions (BAP). He conducts scientific studies on subjects such as brief-emergency psychotherapy, projective techniques, developmental and traumatic crises in adolescents, adolescent depression, anhedonia, panic disorder, qualitative and mixed-method research. In 2015, he was awarded to do a doctorate in the University of Reading in the UK under the "YLSY Scholarship Program" organised by the Turkish Ministry of National Education. He completed his second PhD in the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading in the UK in 2023 and he has recently started working as a faculty member of our department. | |
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Öznur Öncül Demir, PhD Vice Chair Assistant Professor Visiting Researcher: Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology PhD: Psychology (Clinical Psychology), Middle East Technical University Research Areas: Psychology of Violence, Emotional Mechanisms of Psychological Disorders E-mail: oznur.oncul@agu.edu.tr |
| Dr. Öncül-Demir received her BS, MSc and PhD degrees from Middle East Technical University. As a researcher she is primarily interested in psychology of violence. During her graduate studies she conducted intensive interviews with prison inmates. Besides, as a visiting researcher she engaged in a project on sexual violence at University of Birmingham, School of Psychology, Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology. Dr. Öncül-Demir’s second area of research focuses on emotional mechanisms of psychological disorders. She is currently studying the role of disgust in psychopathologies and how it changes over the course of adulthood. Dr. Öncül-Demir worked as a research assistant during 2005-2014 at Middle East Technical University, Department of Psychology and as an assistant professor during 2014-2022 at Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Department of Psychology. | |
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Şakir Yılmaz, PhD Lecturer PhD: Clinical Psychology, University of Exeter (UK) Research Areas: The Relationship Between Mood and Behaviour, Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Depression, Behavioural Activation. E-mail:sakir.yilmaz@agu.edu.tr |
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Sakir Yilmaz received his Bachelor degree from the department of Psychology at Cumhuriyet university, in 2015. In the same year, he was accepted to YLSY scholarship program which gives an opportunity to complete his Master and PhD in the United Kingdom. He completed his MSc degree in developmental psychology at University of East Anglia, in 2018. Following the completion of his MSc program, he has started his PhD in Clinical psychology at University of Exeter, in 2019. After successfully completing his PhD in 2023, he has recently started to working as a faculty member of our department. His main interests are bipolar disorder, bipolar depression, therapeutic approaches for bipolar depression, behavioural activation, the relationship between mood and behaviour. |
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Prospective Faculty |
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G. Serendi Hazır, MA (PhD Candidate) PhD Student PhD: Developmental Social Psychology, Lancaster University (UK) (Expected Graduate Date: 2024) Research Areas: Child and Adolescent Social Understanding, Social Development, Psychosocial Development, Adolescent Mental Health, Stress, Cardiovascular Reactivity to Stress, Psychological Stress |
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Serendi Gulsen Hazır completed her bachelor’s degree at 19 Mayıs University, Department of Psychology in 2013. In 2015, she was rewarded with a postgraduate overseas academic scholarship given by the Ministry of National Education (YLSYProgram). She continued her postgraduate studies in Clinical Child Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University/Cambridge. She completed her master’s thesis on the subject of “Cardiovascular Responses to Psychological Stress” under the supervision of Dr. Eimear Lee. She is currenty studying in “Developmental Social Psychology PhD Programme” in Medicine Department at Lancaster Medical School/Lancaster University. |
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Research Assistants |
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Habibe Sena Dündar Master's Degree: Psychological Sciences, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University (Expected Graduate Date: 2024) Research Areas: Autobiographical Memories, False Memories, Visual Imagery Perspective. E-mail: habibesena.dundar@agu.edu.tr |
| Habibe Sena Dündar graduated from KTO Karatay University, Department of Psychology in 2021 with an Honors Degree. During her undergraduate education, she also had the opportunity to work on haptic perception at the Justus Liebig University Gießen within the Erasmus+. After graduation, she was accepted to Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Psychology Master's program. She joined Abdullah Gül University Psychology Department in 2022 as a research assistant. Her interests include face perception, illusory faces, and the visual imagery perspective. | |
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Adar Cem Lağap, MA (Currently at Dokuz Eylül University) PhD: Dokuz Eylül University (Expected Graduate Date: 2027) Master's Degree: Psychological Sciences, Kadir Has University, 2022 Research Areas: Romantic Relationships, Mate Selection, Dyadic Analysis. E-mail: adarcem.lagap@agu.edu.tr |
| Adar Cem Lağap graduated from Middle East Technical University/Psychology Department in 2019. Soon after, he was accepted into the Psychological Sciences Master’s program at Kadir Has University/Psychology Department. In 2022, he completed his master's studies on security priming and its’ outcomes on subjective vitality, security feelings, and motivation and graduated from the program. He also studied in a research project funded by the research council of Turkey (TUBITAK) titled “Psycho-social effects of COVID-19 from a network analysis perspective”. Since 2021 August, he has been researching romantic relationships and adult attachment theory in social psychology at AGU Psychology Department. | |
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Ömer Topuz, MA Master's Degree: Social Psychology, Uludağ University, 2023 Research Areas: Social Identity Theory, System Justification Theory, Out-group Favoritism, Intergroup Conflict. E-mail: omer.topuz@agu.edu.tr |
| Ömer Topuz obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the Department of Psychology at Adnan Menderes University in 2020, in the same year, he was accepted to the Psychology Master’s Program at Bursa Uludağ University. He joined Bitlis Eren University as a research assistant at the end of 2020. After working at Bitlis Eren University for 3 months, he became a research assistant at Abdullah Gül University. He has been a part of the AGÜ since April 2021. In 2023, he completed his master's studies on the social identity process and graduated from the program. His interests include social identity processes, system justification tendencies, intergroup conflict, and sexism. | |
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Hafize Öznur Erem Master's Degree: Social Psychology, Ankara University, (Expected Graduate Date:) Research Areas: Social Identity Theory, Group Relationship, Cancel Culture. E-mail: More about Ms. Erem! |
| Hafize Öznur Erem graduated from Hacettepe University, Department of Psychology as a High Honor Student in 2022. During her undergraduate education, she worked as a project coordinator in TÜBİTAK 2209-a Project. In 2022, she was accepted to Ankara University Social Psychology Master's program. She joined Abdullah Gül University Psychology Department as a research assistant in 2024. Her research interests include social identity theory, group relationship and cancel culture. | |
Former Faculty |
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Semiha Füsun Akdağ Aycibin Assisstant Professor PhD: Ohio State University Research Areas: Human Resources Management, Organizational Behaviour E-mail: fusun.akdag@uskudar.edu.tr |
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Semiha Füsun AKDAĞ AYCİBİN graduated from Hacettepe University, Department of Psychology in 1975. Dr Aycibin completed his postgraduate education at the Boğaziçi University Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance in 1979, and she received her doctorate at the Ohio State University with a specialisation in Education in 1985. Akdağ Aycibin research primarily focuses on human resources managament and organizational behaviour. |
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Ayşenur Benevetto Assisstant Professor PhD: City University of New York Research Areas: The Interactions Children and Young People Actively Develop with Their Immediate Surroundings, Different Social Entities, and Culture. E-mail: aataman@gradcenter.cuny.edu |
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Ayşenur Benevento has a PhD in Psychology from the Graduate Centre, City University of New York and currently works as a post-doctoral researcher for the ERC project titled “Nativism, Islamophobism and Islamism in the Age of Populism: Culturalization and Religionization of what is Social, Economic and Political in Europe”. Benevento's research focuses on the interactions children and young people actively develop with their immediate surroundings, different social entities, and culture. Her inquiries led her to be part of many interdisciplinary studies conducted in distinct cultural and international contexts over the years. She is a product of public school from kindergarten to graduate school. |
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Bilge Yalçındağ, PhD (at Social Sciences University of Ankara for 2023-2024 Academic Year) Assistant Professor Postdoc: University of Illinois at Chicago, the USA PhD: Social Psychology, Middle East Technical University, 2015 Research Areas: Gender, the Self, Morality, Courage, and the Course of Psychology Literature in Turkey E-mail: bilge.yalcindag@agu.edu.tr |
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Dr. Bilge Yalçındağ obtained her B.Sc. (2005) and MS degree (2009) from METU. In her master's studies, she worked with Prof. Olcay Imamoğlu on self and courage. She received her Ph.D. degree in social psychology from METU (2015) under the supervision of Prof. Türker Özkan. Her Ph.D. dissertation is on morality. After working part-time at different institutions for about two years, she worked at Nuh Naci Yazgan University between 2017-2020. She spent a year in the University of Illinois at Chicago at Prof. Linda Skitka's lab for a project funded by TÜBİTAK on morality. Since March 2020, she has been working at AGU. Her main interests are gender, the self, morality, courage, and the course of psychology literature in Turkey. |
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S. Bengisu Akkurt Aykıt, MA Master's Degree: Psychological Sciences, Kadir Has University, 2022 Research Areas: Psychology of Violence, Emotional Mechanisms of Psychological Disorders E-mail: bengisu.akkurt@agu.edu.tr |
| Sümeyra Bengisu Akkurt Aykıt received her Bachelor’s degree from the Department of Psychology at Istanbul Şehir University in 2019 as a full tuition waiver. In the same year, she was accepted to Psychological Sciences Master's Program at Kadir Has University with a full scholarship. In 2022, she has completed her master's studies on how different COVID-19 pandemic-related threats influence trust in science and belief in conspiracy theories and graduated from the program. As a graduate student, she also worked as a fellow in a TUBITAK-funded study that examined the psycho-social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic from a network analysis perspective. Joining Abdullah Gül University as a Research Assistant in 2020, Akkurt's research interests in the field of social psychology are mainly social identity theory, prejudice and discrimination, intergroup relations, prosocial behavior and collective action. | |