As Philip Zimbardo has repeatedly stated, "social psychology is an experimental research area." Although there is a strong fashion to underestimate the power of experimentation and quantitative methodology, claiming pseudo-causalities with respect to so-called qualitative methods is a very big question mark. This is not to say that we do not need other methodological approaches; rather, I am saying that the reason why we do carry out scientific research is to find out causal relationships, not personal interpretations or opinions. Conducting scientific research is different than arm-chair science.

Educational Rationale

University is the place where the knowledge about universe is taught and learned. Thus, university education must be an educational activity tapping this purpose. I do not care whether or not university students will apply their knowledge to their own lives, but I think they are going to do. Science and education should not be separated.

Current Research Topics:

(1) Death, Terror, and Terror Managemet

(2) Critical and Creative Thinking

(3) Heroism

Special Thanks goes to Scott Plous for his excellent performance in designing and maintaining Social Psychology Network.

Primary Interests:

Judgment and Decision Making
Persuasion, Social Influence
Political Psychology
Research Methods, Assessment
Self and Identity
Social Cognition

Judgment and Decision Making
Persuasion, Social Influence
Political Psychology

Research Methods, Assessment
Self and Identity
Social Cognition

Research Group or Laboratory:

ELYADAL Research Laboratory [Map]

Journal Articles:

Cirakoglu, O. C., Kökdemir, D., & Demirutku, K. (2003). Lay theories of causes of and cures for depression in a Turkish University Sample.
Kökdemir, D. (1996). Route learning in a computer game. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 82, 467-471.
Kökdemir, D. & Yeniçeri, Z. (2010). Terror management in a predominantly muslim country: The effects of mortality salience on university identity and on preference for the development of international relations. European Psychologist, 15(3), 165-174
Liu, J.H., Paez, D., Slawuta, P., Cabecinhas, R., Techio, E., Kökdemir, D., Sen, R., Vincze, O., Muluk, H., Wang F., and Ziobina, A. (2009). Representing world history in the 21st century: The impact of 9/11, the Iraq war, and the nation-state on dynamics of collective remembering. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 40(4), 667-692
Rice, D.R., Abrams, D., Badea, C., Bohner, G., Carnaghi, A., Dementi, L. I., Durkin, K., Ehmann, B., Hodson G., Kökdemir, D., Masip, J., et al. (2010). What did you just call me? European and American ratings of the valence of ethnophaulisms. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 29, 117 -131.
Rüstemli, A., & Kökdemir, D. (1993). Privacy dimensions and preferences among Turkish students. The Journal of Social Psychology, 133(6), 807-814.
Yeniçeri, Z., & Kökdemir, D. (2006). University students' perceptions of, and explanations for, infidelity: The development of the Infidelity Questionnaire (INFQ). Social Behavior and Personality, 34(6), 639-650.

Courses Taught:

Dogan Kökdemir
Faculty of Science and Letters
Department of Psychology
Baglica Kampusu
06581 Ankara
Turkey

Phone: +9 (0312) 2341010