The Digital Transformation of Psychological Representations in the Media
 
Hello, my name is Hilal Tatar. I graduated from the Psychology and Cinema and Television departments at Istanbul Gelişim University through the Double Major Programme. In 2023, we began our research after qualifying for funding under the TÜBİTAK 2209-A Research Projects Support Programme for University Students, and we completed it in February 2025 with the submission of our final report. I am pleased to share this study, which I conducted with my academic advisor, Dr. Eda Türkay, who was my greatest supporter from the beginning and throughout the process. We decided to apply after Dr. Türkay informed me about the TÜBİTAK 2209-A programme. We had planned to carry out the project together regardless of whether it received funding; however, receiving this support made the process much more meaningful for us.
 
When deciding on the topic of our article, we wanted to choose a research subject that brought together my two fields of study. We decided to examine how closely the portrayals of psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapy scenes in Turkish television series broadcast on digital and traditional media reflected real-world practice. During this process, we reviewed all series released up to that point and compiled a list of more than 200 series featuring psychologist or psychiatrist characters and therapy scenes. Of these, a total of 10 series—five from traditional media and five from digital media—were included in our research. We analysed these scenes together with experts in the field and asked them questions. With the support of our professors, we completed our article titled “From Traditional to Digital: The Transformation of Representations of Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and Psychological Cases in the Media.”
 
Of course, our work went beyond simply watching and interpreting these scenes; we also conducted a literature review covering numerous articles and books related to our topic. My academic advisor, Dr. Eda Türkay, provided invaluable support throughout these stages. This was my first experience writing an academic article, but thanks to her guidance, the process progressed in a much more organised and productive way. She shared her knowledge with me on everything from academic writing techniques to research methods and provided guidance through frequent meetings. The research I conducted, the various sources I consulted, and the expert opinions we gathered helped me develop further academically. The positive feedback we received at the end of this project, which we carried out with patience and dedication, motivated us even more.
 
My future career goal is to pursue work that combines my two fields of study. This project was an important step towards achieving that goal. I gained a wealth of experience that I can draw on in both academic and professional settings, and I continue to move forward by building on it.