Browsing by Author "Yilmaz, Onurcan"

Now showing 1 - 16 of 16

Citation - WoS: 17
Citation - Scopus: 20
All the Dark Triad and some of the Big Five traits are visible in the face
(Elsevier Ltd, 2021) Sinan Alper; Fatih Bayrak; Onurcan Yilmaz; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Bayrak, Fatih
Some of the recent studies suggested that people can make accurate inferences about the level of the Big Five and the Dark Triad personality traits in strangers by only looking at their faces. However later findings provided only partial support and the evidence is mixed regarding which traits can be accurately inferred from faces. In the current research to provide further evidence on whether the Big Five and the Dark Triad traits are visible in the face we report three studies two of which were preregistered conducted on both WEIRD (the US American) and non-WEIRD (Turkish) samples (N = 880). The participants in both the US American and Turkish samples were successful in predicting all Dark Triad personality traits by looking at a stranger's face. However there were mixed results regarding the Big Five traits. An aggregate analysis of the combined dataset demonstrated that extraversion (only female) agreeableness and conscientiousness were accurately inferred by the participants in addition to the Dark Triad traits. Overall the results suggest that inferring personality from faces without any concrete source of information might be an evolutionarily adaptive trait. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Conspiracy Theories as Instruments of Power: The Case of Conspiracy Beliefs in the Wake of the 2023 Earthquakes in Türkiye
(Wiley, 2025) Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Varol, Onur
The prevalent view associates political disempowerment with increased conspiracy beliefs. However, the function of conspiracy theories for those in power to sustain their dominance is less understood, particularly in ecologically valid and non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) settings. Our research examined the emergence of conspiracy theories following the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and their relation to voting behavior in the subsequent general election, which occurred three months later. In Study 1, we analyzed the activities of 26,992 users on X (Twitter), identifying a preference among supporters of Erdogan, the incumbent president, for earthquake-related conspiracy theories. In Study 2, face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample of 3568 individuals showed a correlation between the endorsement of these theories and increased support for Erdogan and his coalition, independent of other variables. These findings highlighted the significant role conspiracy theories that can play in bolstering authority and shaping electoral outcomes.
Citation - WoS: 12
Citation - Scopus: 14
Do changes in threat salience predict the moral content of sermons? The case of Friday Khutbas in Turkey
(John Wiley and Sons Ltd vgorayska@wiley.com Southern Gate Chichester West Sussex PO19 8SQ, 2020) Sinan Alper; Fatih Bayrak; Elif Öykü Us; Onurcan Yilmaz; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Bayrak, Fatih; Us, Elif Oyku
We analyzed the content of “Friday Khutbas” delivered in Turkish mosques between January 2001 and December 2018 to test the prediction of moral foundations theory (MFT) literature that threat salience would lead to an increased endorsement of binding moral foundations. As societal-level indicators of threat we examined (a) historical data on the proportion of terrorism-related news published in a Turkish newspaper (b) the geopolitical risk score of Turkey as measured by Geopolitical Risk Index and (c) Google Trends data on the search frequency of words “terror” “terrorism” or “terrorist”. To measure the endorsement of moral foundations we built a Turkish Moral Foundations Dictionary and counted the relative frequency of morality-related words in the khutbas delivered in Istanbul Turkey. Time series analyses showed that risk salience in a certain month was positively related to endorsement of the loyalty/betrayal foundation in that month’s Friday Khutbas. There were mixed results for the other moral foundations. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Citation - WoS: 9
Citation - Scopus: 9
Does an Abstract Mind-Set Increase the Internal Consistency of Moral Attitudes and Strengthen Individualizing Foundations?
(SAGE Publications Inc. claims@sagepub.com, 2020) Sinan Alper; Onurcan Yilmaz; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan
Recent research suggests that experimentally inducing an abstract (vs. a concrete) mind-set enhances political sophistication by increasing the consistency in political attitudes, it also enhances individualizing moral foundations and decreases binding moral foundations. However the evidence is mixed regarding whether abstract mind-set increases or decreases the strength of moral convictions in general. In this context the aim of this study was 2-fold. In two preregistered studies on U.S. American and Turkish samples (aggregate N = 694) we tested (1) whether abstract mind-set increases the consistency in moral convictions similar to the case of political attitudes and (2) whether inducing an abstract mind-set increases individualizing and decreases binding foundations. The results did not provide support for any of the hypotheses and the past findings were not reproduced. Potential implications of these findings for construal level theory literature are discussed. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Citation - WoS: 2
Effective health communication depends on the interaction of message source and content: two experiments on adherence to COVID-19 measures in Türkiye
(TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2024) Fatih Bayrak; Bengi Aktar; Berke Aydas; Onurcan Yilmaz; Sinan Alper; Ozan Isler; Aydas, Berke; Isler, Ozan; Aktar, Bengi; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Alper, Sinan; Bayrak, Fatih
ObjectiveFollowing the COVID-19 outbreak authorities recommended preventive measures to reduce infection rates. However adherence to calls varied between individuals and across cultures. To determine the characteristics of effective health communication we investigated three key features: message source content and audience.MethodsUsing a pre-test and two experiments we tested how message content (emphasizing personal or social benefit) audience (individual differences) message source (scientists or state officials) and their interaction influence adherence to preventive measures. Using fliers advocating preventive measures Experiment 1 investigated the effects of message content and examined the moderator role of individual differences. Experiment 2 presented the messages using news articles and manipulated sources.ResultsStudy 1 found decreasing adherence over time with no significant impact from message content or individual differences. Study 2 found messages emphasizing 'protect yourself' and 'protect your country' to increase intentions for adherence to preventive measures. It also revealed an interaction between message source and content whereby messages emphasizing personal benefit were more effective when they came from healthcare professionals than from state officials. However message source and content did not affect vaccination intentions or donations for vaccine research.ConclusionEffective health communication requires simultaneous consideration of message source and content.
Citation - WoS: 1
Citation - Scopus: 2
Fictitious conspiracy- paranormal- and pseudoscience beliefs are closely related to their regular counterparts
(SPRINGER, 2025) Sinan Alper; Tugcenaz Elcil; Nazif Karaca; Fatih Bayrak; Onurcan Yilmaz; Elcil, Tugcenaz; Karaca, Nazif; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Bayrak, Fatih
Belief in various types of Epistemically Suspect Beliefs (ESBs) such as conspiracy theories paranormal phenomena and pseudoscientific claims tends to strongly correlate. However the use of ESB scales in the literature which often include phenomena frequently encountered in daily life with familiar content challenges the clarity of inferences about this relationship. To address this issue we developed a scale for Fictitious Epistemically Suspect Beliefs (FESBs) composed entirely of novel and fabricated statements related to conspiracy paranormal activity and pseudoscience. In Study 1 with a Turkish sample of 448 participants we found that FESBs positively correlated with ESBs despite consisting of less familiar claims. Moreover both FESBs and ESBs showed similar associations with individual differences in worldview and cognition. These findings were replicated in a larger Turkish sample (N = 786) in Study 2 and a UK sample (N = 746) in Study 3. The results indicate that individuals with higher ESBs are more likely to endorse FESBs despite having never encountered these claims before.
Citation - WoS: 2
Citation - Scopus: 3
How do beliefs in free will and determinism correlate with beliefs in conspiracy paranormal and pseudoscience beliefs?
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Sinan Alper; Kivanc Konukoglu; Eylul Deran Atalay; Aysenur Duzgun; Onurcan Yilmaz; Duzgun, Aysenur; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Atalay, Eylul Deran; Konukoglu, Kivanc
In this study we tested the relationship between personal agency beliefs represented by free will scientific and fatalistic determinism and unpredictability and epistemically suspect beliefs (ESBs) including conspiracy paranormal and pseudoscience beliefs across two different cultures (Türkiye and the UK). In two preregistered studies (NStudy 1 = 682 NStudy 2 = 532) we proposed and found correlational evidence for the idea that although seemingly contradictory both forms of determinism—scientific and fatalistic—might lead individuals to feel a reduced control over their actions prompting them towards simpler explanations offered by ESBs thereby compensating for a diminished sense of agency. The relationship between free will unpredictability and ESBs varied by culture likely influenced by the cultural interpretation of those beliefs. Our results underscore the link between personal agency and ESBs suggesting that ESBs may act as a safeguard against eroding personal agency. © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Citation - WoS: 20
Citation - Scopus: 25
How is the Big Five related to moral and political convictions: The moderating role of the WEIRDness of the culture
(PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 2019) Sinan Alper; Onurcan Yilmaz; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan
There has been extensive research on how the Big Five personality traits are related to political orientation and endorsement of moral foundations. However recent findings suggest that these relationships may not be cross culturally stable. We argue that how much a culture is WEIRD (Western educated industrialized rich and democratic) could moderate how the Big Five is related to political and moral convictions. In a sample of 7263 participants from 30 countries our results showed that the level of WEIRDness of the culture moderated (1) the associations of agreeableness and openness with ideology, (2) the associations of extraversion emotional stability agreeableness and conscientiousness with individualizing foundations, and (3) the association of extraversion with binding moral foundations. The results were mixed and some of the interactions were small in magnitude. However they clearly indicate that the Big Five traits' relationship with moral and political convictions are not cross-culturally stable.
Citation - WoS: 2
Citation - Scopus: 4
Inferring political and religious attitudes from composite faces perceived to be related to the dark triad personality traits
(Elsevier Ltd, 2021) Sinan Alper; Fatih Bayrak; Onurcan Yilmaz; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Bayrak, Fatih
We used composite face images perceived to have different levels of Dark Triad personality traits (narcissism psychopathy and Machiavellianism) and asked participants to predict these target individuals' religious and political identities. In Study 1 (N = 550) Turkish participants rated faces with higher levels of perceived Dark Triad traits as less likely to be religious to believe in God and more likely to be left-winger and to vote for a left-leaning party in all categories except for male narcissism. In a pre-registered follow-up study (N = 1001) we recruited a nationally representative US sample and replicated the same results with minor differences regarding male and female narcissism and voting preferences. Participants' own political and ideological identities and their stereotypical evaluation of the target groups were mostly ineffective in explaining their predictions. The results suggest that people can perceive faces with higher levels of Dark Triad traits as less religious and less conservative. © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Citation - WoS: 4
Citation - Scopus: 4
Multidimensional intuitive–analytic thinking style and its relation to moral concerns epistemically suspect beliefs and ideology
(Society for Judgment and Decision making, 2023) Fatih Bayrak; Burak Doǧruyol; Sinan Alper; Onurcan Yilmaz; Dogruyol, Burak; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Bayrak, Fatih
Literature highlights the distinction between intuitive and analytic thinking as a prominent cognitive style distinction leading to the proposal of various theories within the framework of the dual process model. However it remains unclear whether individuals differ in their thinking styles along a single dimension from intuitive to analytic or if other dimensions are at play. Moreover the presence of numerous thinking style measures employing different terminology but conceptually overlapping leads to confusion. To address these complexities Newton et al. suggested the idea that individuals vary across multiple dimensions of intuitive–analytic thinking styles and distinguished thinking styles between 4 distinct types: Actively open-minded thinking close-minded thinking preference for effortful thinking and preference for intuitive thinking. They proposed a new measure for this 4-factor disposition The 4-Component Thinking Styles Questionnaire (4-CTSQ) to comprehensively capture the psychological outcomes related to thinking styles, however no independent test exists. In the current pre-registered studies we test the validity of 4-CTSQ for the first time beyond the original study and examine the association of the proposed measure with various factors including morality conspiracy beliefs paranormal and religious beliefs vaccine hesitancy and ideology in an underrepresented culture Türkiye. We found that the correlated 4-factor model of 4-CTSQ is an appropriate measure to capture individual differences based on cognitive style. The results endorse the notion that cognitive style differences are characterized by distinct structures rather than being confined to two ends of a single continuum. © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Citation - WoS: 148
Citation - Scopus: 146
Psychological correlates of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and preventive measures: Evidence from Turkey
(SPRINGER, 2021) Sinan Alper; Fatih Bayrak; Onurcan Yilmaz; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Bayrak, Fatih
COVID-19 pandemic has led to popular conspiracy theories regarding its origins and widespread concern over the level of compliance with preventive measures. In the current preregistered research we recruited 1088 Turkish participants and investigated (a) individual differences associated with COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, (2) whether such conspiracy beliefs are related to the level of preventive measures, and (3) other individual differences that might be related to the preventive measures. Higher faith in intuition uncertainty avoidance impulsivity generic conspiracy beliefs religiosity and right-wing ideology and a lower level of cognitive reflection were associated with a higher level of belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories. There was no association between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and preventive measures while perceived risk was positively and impulsivity negatively correlated with preventive measures. We discuss the implications and directions for future research.
Citation - Scopus: 3
Reflection predicts and leads to decreased conspiracy belief
(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Fatih Bayrak; Vahdet Sümer; Burak Doǧruyol; Selahattin Adil Saribay; Sinan Alper; Ozan Isler; Onurcan Yilmaz; Sümer, Vahdet; Saribay, S. Adil; Isler, Ozan; Dogruyol, Burak; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Bayrak, Fatih
Recent research indicates a generally negative relationship between reflection and conspiracy beliefs. However most of the existing research relies on correlational data on WEIRD (Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic) populations. The few existing experimental studies are limited by weak manipulation techniques that fail to reliably activate cognitive reflection. Hence questions remain regarding (1) the consistency of the negative relationship between conspiracy beliefs and cognitive reflection (2) the extent of cross-cultural variation and potential moderating factors and (3) the presence of a causal link between cognitive reflection and conspiracy beliefs. In two preregistered studies we investigated the association between cognitive reflection and conspiracy beliefs. First we studied the correlation between two variables across 48 cultures and investigated whether factors such as WEIRDness and narcissism (personal and collective) moderate this relationship. In the second study we tested the causal effect of reflection using a reliable and effective manipulation technique—debiasing training—on both generic and specific conspiracy beliefs. The first study confirmed the negative association between reflection and belief in conspiracy theories across cultures with the association being notably stronger in non-WEIRD societies. Both personal and collective narcissism played significant moderating roles. The second study demonstrated that debiasing training significantly decreases both generic and COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs in a non-WEIRD context with more pronounced effects for general conspiracy beliefs. Our research supports that reflection is a consistent cross-cultural predictor of conspiracy beliefs and that activating reflection can reduce such beliefs through rigorous experimental interventions. © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Citation - WoS: 100
The five-factor model of the moral foundations theory is stable across WEIRD and non-WEIRD cultures
(PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 2019) Burak Dogruyol; Sinan Alper; Onurcan Yilmaz; Dogruyol, Burak; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan
Although numerous models attempted to explain the nature of moral judgment moral foundations theory (MFT) led to a paradigmatic change in this field by proposing pluralist moralities (care fairness loyalty authority sanctity). The five-factor structure of MFT is thought to be universal and rooted in the evolutionary past but the evidence is scarce regarding the stability of this five-factor structure across diverse cultures. We tested this universality argument in a cross-cultural dataset of 30 diverse societies spanning the WEIRD (Western educated industrialized rich democratic) and non-WEIRD cultures by testing measurement invariance of the short-form of the moral foundations questionnaire. The results supported the original conceptualization that there are at least five diverse moralities although loadings of items differ across WEIRD and non-WEIRD cultures. In other words the current research shows for the first time that the five-factor structure of MFT is stable in the WEIRD and non-WEIRD cultures.
Citation - WoS: 20
Citation - Scopus: 19
The link between intuitive thinking and social conservatism is stronger in WEIRD societies
(Society for Judgment and Decision making, 2019) Onurcan Yilmaz; Sinan Alper; Yilmaz, Onurcan; Alper, Sinan
While previous studies reveal mixed findings on the relationship between analytic cognitive style (ACS) and right-wing (conservative) political orientation the correlation is generally negative. However most of these studies are based onWestern educated industrialized rich and democratic (WEIRD) societies and it is not clear whether this relationship is a crossculturally stable phenomenon. In order to test cross-cultural generalizability of this finding we re-analyzed the data collected by theMany Labs 2 Project from 30 politically diverse societies (N = 7263). Social conservatism is measured with the binding foundations scale comprising of loyalty (patriotism) authority (respect for traditions) and sanctity (respect for the sacred) as proposed by the moral foundations theory while ACS is measured by the three-item modified cognitive reflection task. The level of WEIRDness of each country was calculated by scoring how much a culture is Western educated industrialized rich and democratic. Although social conservatism is negatively associated with ACS in the aggregate analysis indicates that the relationship is significantly stronger amongWEIRD and remains negligible among non-WEIRD cultures. These findings show the cross-cultural variability of this relationship and emphasize the limitations of studying only WEIRD cultures. © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Citation - WoS: 13
Citation - Scopus: 16
The positive association of education with the trust in science and scientists is weaker in highly corrupt countries
(SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD, 2024) Sinan Alper; Busra Elif Yelbuz; Sumeyra Bengisu Akkurt; Onurcan Yilmaz; Yelbuz, Busra Elif; Akkurt, Sumeyra Bengisu; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan
One of the most prominent correlates of trust in science and scientists is education level possibly because educated individuals have higher levels of science knowledge and thinking ability suggesting that trusting science and scientists relies more on reflective thinking abilities. However it is relatively more reasonable for highly educated individuals to suspect authority figures in highly corrupt countries. We tested this prediction in two nationally representative and probabilistic cross-cultural data sets (Study 1: 142 countries N = 40085, Study 2: 47 countries N = 69332) and found that the positive association between education and trust in scientists (Study 1) and science (Study 2) was weaker or non-existent in highly corrupt countries. The results did not change after statistically controlling for age sex household income and residence. We suggest future research to be more considerate of the societal context in understanding how education status correlates with trust in science and scientists.
The Relevance of Cognitive Processes to the Formation and Consequences of Conspiracy Theory Appraisals
(ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2024) Sinan Alper; Onurcan Yilmaz; Alper, Sinan; Yilmaz, Onurcan