Psychology Agenda – 6
“Technology Addiction and Cyberbullying”
The Agenda of Psychology HKUcontinues to be set at.
Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU) Congress and Culture Centre (KKM) held the “Psychology Agenda – 6” Symposium, which addressed the subject of “Technology Addiction and Cyberbullying”.
Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU)hosted the “Psychology Agenda-6 Symposium”. At the Symposium, attended by psychologists, psychological counsellors and guidance teachers from Gaziantep and surrounding provinces, “Technology Addiction and Cyberbullying” was addressed in all its details.
Giving the opening speech, HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz said: “As I begin my words, I greet you with respect and offer my warm regards. Hasan Kalyoncu University shares with you the honour it feels in hosting the “6th Psychology Agenda” Symposium, and I thank you all for being with us. Today here we will evaluate the various dimensions of technology addiction and try to shed light on the discussions on this subject. Without doubt, the strongest force that enables humanity’s progress is rapidly developing and spreading technology. Humankind has never witnessed such rapid change in any period of history. While living conditions are improving with the rapid changes and developments in technology, the balance elements in human life have also begun to shift.
The internet, television, mobile phones and all the technological products you can imagine, which in recent years have taken their place among the indispensables of our lives, make people addicted, as with other types of addiction, by negatively affecting especially school-age young people’s mental and physical development. Today Hasan Kalyoncu University experts on the subject from the Department of Psychology will discuss technology addiction scientifically. HKU’s pride in organising this Symposium is complete, and our belief is full that it will build solutions by increasing awareness of “Technology Addiction and Cyberbullying”. Given the close interest shown in the Symposium, the participant profile and the subjects addressed, we can say that we have captured a great synergy in the field of psychology here today. I hope it will be a very productive and useful Symposium and that each of us will benefit at the highest level,” he said.
“From the School Garden to Rooms at Home: Cyberbullying”
Speaking at the Symposium, HKU Department of Psychology faculty member Prof. Dr. Tolga Arıcak addressed the topic “From the School Garden to Rooms at Home: Cyberbullying”. Arıcak said in his statement: “Bullying is probably among the most popular topics that have never dropped off the agenda of school psychology for the last twenty years. The main reason for this is perhaps that, as a result of serious research, it has been understood how widespread bullying is, which had not been so clearly defined before. Cyberbullying is behaviour repeated by a person or group using information and communication technologies with the awareness of harming another person or group. There are two conditions for a behaviour to be considered cyberbullying: awareness of causing harm, and repetition. Cyberbullying is seen today mostly on the internet and in the use of mobile phones. Mobile phones and personal computers offer ill-intentioned people many advantages for harassing others. One of the foremost advantages is that the electronic bully can easily hide their identity. At the same time, these technological tools have low cost and a widespread network of use. So much so that today, at an increasing rate, even primary school students have begun to use mobile phones,” he said.
“Preventing Internet Addiction”
Speaking about methods of preventing internet addiction, Hasan Kalyoncu University Department of Psychology Lecturer Mehmet Dinç said: “When we consider technology with its good and bad, it is very normal for us to be confused and fall into a dilemma about using it or, as parents, allowing our child to use it. However, instead of looking at the matter from any one side and seeing one face of it, the most correct attitude will be to try to look at it from both sides and take command of the matter. That is, just as cutting off a child’s finger is not considered a solution to the problem of thumb-sucking, completely removing technology from our lives should not be considered a solution either. Instead, the best thing is to think about how we should or should not use / let others use technology, and to develop alternatives.
At this point, the group that needs to be focused on the most is without doubt children. First, because of their age, children have more distance to cover than adults in telling the right from the wrong of technology and what it offers. Second, because children are born into a world where technological devices are more numerous and more easily accessible, they use technology much more and much better in daily life. For this reason, families must be quite conscious about technology addiction and approach their children with this awareness,” he said.
The sixth of the Psychology Agenda series ended with the presentation of participation certificates.