The 1st National Social Sciences Student Congress was hosted by Üsküdar University

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: "There are hope molecules in the brain"

In collaboration with Üsküdar University and MBA Schools, the "1st National Social Sciences Student Congress" was held. Within the framework of the congress, 20 poster presentations prepared by MBA Schools high school students and 8 paper presentations by experts in their fields were presented under the main theme of "Thresholds and Transformations." The congress aimed to provide participants with a multidisciplinary perspective in disciplines such as literature, history, health, media, geography, architecture, politics, management, human and society, and philosophy. Leading scientists, academics, and students from Türkiye attended the congress. Speaking at the congress with his presentation titled "New Space: The Brain," Tarhan stated that the brains of hopeful individuals do not age and work very dynamically.

 

The congress was held at Üsküdar University Çarşı Campus Emir Nebi Conference Hall, with the participation of President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan.

CEO of Medicana Education Group MBA Schools, Ayfer Batı, delivered the opening speech titled "The Anatomy of the Threshold: Being Yourself."

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: "There are hope molecules in the brain"

President of Üsküdar University and Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan gave a talk titled "New Space: The Brain" at the congress. During the discussion, moderated by students, Tarhan stated that "There are hope molecules in the brain. The brains of hopeful individuals work very dynamically and do not age. Hope molecules are a combination of chemicals in the brain. There is an example related to this from Edison. When Edison was around 67 years old, his multimillion-dollar project workshop completely burned down. His son Charlie said, ‘We thought that from now on, we would move to a coastal town and spend the rest of our lives fishing.’ However, the next morning, Edison gathered the whole family in front of the workshop and said, ‘All our mistakes have burned down.’ This was an incredible source of hope. He said, ‘The mistakes are gone.’ Three weeks later, he invented the phonograph. The key idea behind this is not falling into despair and pessimism. It is believing in one’s own power and goals. It is about thinking that there is always a way out, that there is always a plan. This is an incredible inner motivation. There is also external motivation; however, it does not lead to real progress in life. What we need is inner motivation."

"Hitting rock bottom is the beginning of rising again"

Emphasizing the importance of psychological flexibility, Tarhan stated that "There are two types of people: those with rigid thinking and those with flexible thinking. People with rigid thinking are known in everyday language as stubborn individuals. They lack mental flexibility; they are set in their ways and refuse to change. Stubborn individuals are like Teflon-coated people. A Teflon pan does not bend, that is, it gets scratched and is thrown away, but it does not bend. Such individuals harm others but remain unaffected themselves. In stress management, there are three types of personalities. The first is the Teflon type, who has rigid thinking. The second is the sponge type, which absorbs everything but eventually collapses. These individuals tend to be depressive, complain a lot, and are never satisfied. They cannot manage stress and break down in the face of difficulties. On the other hand, individuals with cognitive flexibility have neuroplasticity. These people exhibit psychological resilience. They are like rubber, that is, they stretch but return to their original state, though with a memory of the experience. In fact, some sponges have been developed using nanotechnology that adapt to the body's structure for better flexibility. Similarly, neuropsychological flexibility allows a person to stretch and then return to their original state. In life, there are times when people hit rock bottom. However, these moments can be the beginning of rising again. Life experiences teach us something. Instead of asking, ‘Why did this happen to me?’ those who ask, ‘What did I learn from this?’ gain valuable lessons from life."

If these six networks are used, forgetting becomes impossible…

Drawing attention to the six faithful guardians of memory, Tarhan stated that "5W1H asks the questions: Who, What, Where, When, How, and Why. Each of these questions has its own network. When a person records information in their brain using these six networks, forgetting becomes impossible. There is also biological evidence supporting this. If you can encode information in the brain using 5W1H, it means you are utilizing neuroplasticity. To harness the neuroplasticity in our brain, we need to act like an orchestra conductor. If we use our brain this way, no part of it remains unused. The decision-making center of our brain is the frontal lobe, that is, the front part. The left brain is the masculine brain, responsible for logic, reasoning, analysis, speech, and calculation. The right brain, on the other hand, is the emotional brain, associated with emotions, excitement, music, and art. The prefrontal cortex is the control center, balancing everything. What makes humans unique and distinguishes us from other living beings is the prefrontal cortex. Among all living creatures, humans have the largest prefrontal cortex."

"The way we approach events reflects our wisdom"

Emphasizing the importance of positive psychology, Tarhan stated that "The way we handle events is related to the level of wisdom we possess. It is about positive psychology. People with high wisdom can apply positive psychology effectively. However, one of the core principles of positive psychology is not simply being an optimist like Pollyanna. Traditional psychology takes negative experiences from a deficit to a neutral state. This is classical psychology. Positive psychology, on the other hand, elevates neutral to positive, enhancing the quality of life. A person who manages to live correctly aligns with the principles of positive psychology. Such an individual invests positively in all areas of life within the family and in personal relationships. There are three key areas of positive thinking: Coping Style: being positive in stress management; Communication Style:maintaining a positive approach in interpersonal interactions. Problem-Solving Style: developing a constructive attitude toward problem-solving. If you adopt a positive mindset in these three areas, you will perceive not only the negative aspects of life but also the positive ones. You will learn from negativity but continue to progress positively."

“Opening panel began with "thresholds and transformations"

The congress commenced with the opening panel titled "Thresholds and Transformations." The panel was moderated by Academic and Author Prof. Uğur Batı and featured notable participants including Üsküdar University Rector’s Advisor Prof. Tayfun Uzbay, TV & Film Director Mustafa Uğur Yağcıoğlu, and Author Zuhal Mansfield. Following the panel, Prof. Mustafa Sever, a faculty member at Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences and a member of the MBA Science Board, delivered a speech on "Transformations in Childhood."

Prof. Tayfun Uzbay: "Different disciplines must come together and collaborate"

Üsküdar University Rector’s Advisor and Head of the Department of Internal Medical Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Tayfun Uzbay, spoke at the opening panel titled "Thresholds and Transformations." Uzbay stated that "One of the biggest shortcomings in Türkiye is the inability of different disciplines to come together. From an early age, students are divided into science-oriented or humanities-oriented tracks, and this division continues in academic and research fields. Everyone works within their own domain, but since knowledge from different fields does not merge, we fail to create strong syntheses. However, what we truly need is the ability to synthesize knowledge. If we want to move forward, innovate, and keep up with the world, different disciplines must come together, understand each other, and collaborate. Another crucial point is having access to accurate and reliable information. Knowledge is indeed power, but if you start with misinformation, no matter how hardworking or productive you are, you will not achieve the desired outcome. Acting with the right knowledge, in the right place, at the right time, is one of the most critical factors for success."

Brain rot or mental obesity?

Addressing the challenges brought by digitalization, Uzbay continued his remarks as follows: "With the digital revolution, the concept of 'brain rot' has emerged. However, from a scientific perspective, a living person’s brain does not rot. As long as the brain is alive and healthy, it continues to function. Decay is a process that occurs after death. For this reason, I prefer the term 'mental obesity' instead of 'brain rot.' Just like in physical obesity, where excessive weight gain reduces mobility and increases susceptibility to diseases, a similar phenomenon occurs with the brain. We are exposed to an overwhelming amount of information but struggle to filter and process it. As a result, mental agility declines, and our ability to think critically begins to deteriorate."

Paper presentations were held

Following the panel, several academic papers were presented on topics such as "Traces of the Past, Shadows of the Future," "Passing Through the Thresholds of Language," and "Tuberculosis in Tanzimat Era Novels." Additionally, presentations on "Digital Thresholds," "Modernization of Defense," and "Hope" were delivered.

Later, poster presentations were conducted as part of the congress program.

Prof. Tayfun Doğan: "Learned helplessness is a condition we develop without realizing it"

Prof. Tayfun Doğan, a faculty member at Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, delivered a presentation titled "Learned Helplessness: Losing Hope in Oneself" at the congress. Doğan stated that "Learned helplessness is a condition we develop in our lives without realizing it. We try something multiple times, but when we fail, we give up, saying, ‘I cannot do it.’ For example, statements like, ‘No matter what I do, I cannot lose weight,’ or ‘I just do not understand math,’ are perfect examples of this. At this point, we stop trying and accept failure.In fact, this situation is closely linked to depression, as it manifests through symptoms like hopelessness, low self-confidence, and inaction."

"We may realize that we can do many things we thought we could not"

Prof. Doğan pointed out that learned helplessness is often confused with self-fulfilling prophecy and explained that "In a self-fulfilling prophecy, we believe ‘I cannot do it’ even before we begin, and as a result, we truly fail. In learned helplessness, however, we fail first and then convince ourselves that we are incapable.The good news is that this mindset can be changed. If we become aware of it and take small steps forward, we may realize that we can actually do many things we once thought we could not."

The 1st National Social Sciences Student Congress stood out as a scientific platform where high school students discussed societal, cultural, economic, and scientific thresholds. In this regard, the congress also represents a new academic milestone in high school education.

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)