Social Representations of Istanbul: Socio-Spatial Analysis via Visual and Verbal Techniques

Mehmet Karasu; Sercan Karlıdağ; Göklem Tekdemir

Mehmet Karasu Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Türkiye
Sercan Karlıdağ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Altınbaş University, Istanbul, Türkiye
Göklem Tekdemir Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye

Keywords: Istanbul studies, social representations, visual technique, socio-spatial analysis, metaphor analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine how Istanbul is represented visually and verbally adopting the approach of Social Representations. A field study was carried out with 158 undergraduate students in Istanbul. A questionnaire form was administered in the first stage of study including questions about the demographic characteristics of participants, and their metaphors about Istanbul. The drawings as a visual technique were used in the second stage. The results were analyzed by inductive content analysis. The prominent themes in drawings were grouped as ‘panorama of Istanbul,’ ‘problems of Istanbul,’ and ‘behaviors and appearances of residents in Istanbul.’ The results of metaphor analysis revealed the following salient themes: ‘contrasts,’ ‘diversities,’ and ‘problems.’ The social representations of Istanbul are influenced by its socio-cultural diversity, spatial properties, historical background, problems, people’s daily activities there.

Author Biographies

Mehmet Karasu, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Türkiye

MEHMET KARASU is an assistant of professor of social psychology at the Van Yüzüncü Yıl University. His research interests include social representations, human-time-space relations, and peace psychology.

Sercan Karlıdağ, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Altınbaş University, Istanbul, Türkiye

SERCAN KARLIDAĞ is a research assistant at the Altınbaş University Within the discipline of social psychology, identity and intergroup relations and social representations are among his research/interest areas. He is a member of the Association of Psychologists for Social Solidarity (TODAP) and the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP).

Göklem Tekdemir, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye

GÖKLEM TEKDEMİR is an associate professor of psychology at the Istanbul University. Her areas of expertise are language-based social psychology, social constructivism, qualitative methods used in psychology, speech as social action, and linguistic strategies. She has published extensively on social psychological topics (e.g., social identity, group membership, gender roles) via qualitative methods.