Exploring Social Representations of Mersin as a Place and Türkiye With the Cognitive Mapping Method/ Bilişsel Haritalama Yöntemiyle Bir Yer Olarak Mersin ve Türkiye'nin Sosyal Temsillerini Keşfetme

Abstract

The representation of place is studied by many different disciplines, such as geography, urban planning, and sociology. Studies on the representation of place share the idea that the representation of place consists of geographical, social, and cultural elements. This study was carried out to examine the representations of Mersin University students regarding Mersin and Türkiye, and their behavioral practices in Mersin. In the study, social and cognitive representations were reached through cognitive mapping. For the purpose of the study, the sample of the study consists of 130 students studying at Mersin University. One of the main differences in these representations is that the representations of Türkiye and Mersin are independent and unrelated to each other. The most important finding is that; Mersin University, important urban spaces, and neighboring countries are almost never included in the cognitive maps of university students. Social and political criticisms against Mersin and Türkiye were frequently seen on the maps. In the maps of the participants, it was determined that the use of place practices differed according to gender. Compared to men, women's place usage practices and place usage diversity are quite limited. In the study, the perceptions of Mersin University students about Mersin were discussed from the perspective of environmental psychology in light of the findings.