The fourth session of the event series “Psychology Talks with Prof. Nevzat Tarhan” was held, organized by Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, the Psychology Club, and the Positive Psychology Club. Attracting significant interest from participants, Tarhan emphasized that healthy individuals cannot emerge in a society experiencing dissolution. He also stated that a holistic perspective is the remedy for hopelessness and noted that difficulties should be viewed as opportunities for growth.
The event took place at the Fuat Sezgin Conference Hall of Üsküdar University South Campus, and was attended by Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, President of Üsküdar University, Prof. Deniz Ülke Arıboğan, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as faculty members and students.
“Social psychology is a field with a promising future”
Highlighting the importance of social psychology, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that When we look at global trends today, psychology is one of the rising professions. Many people ask, ‘Will artificial intelligence replace it?’ There are already examples of therapy supported by AI. People can enter a system and ask questions. If the person knows how to ask the right question, they can receive useful answers. We should not dismiss AI by saying ‘It cannot do that.’ For instance, if someone says ‘I have depression,’ AI can generate a wide range of responses. There are currently many unregulated ‘underground’ services that harm individuals. Some people come to us saying, ‘I tried therapy, but it didn’t help.’ Upon review, we find they went to a questionable service, often under names like life coaching or mentoring. If a gap exists and is not filled ethically and professionally, others will fill it in harmful ways. That’s why it’s essential to build a licensed foundation and specialize deeply in a selected area. In this context, social psychology is a field with great potential. Those who invest in it will not waste their efforts, because there is still a significant gap, and people are trying to fill it. Now, Positive Psychology 2.0 has emerged, where the focus on the search for meaning is even more prominent. For those curious, this is also a promising area, both to benefit ourselves and to serve others.”
“The placebo effect has a neurophysiological basis”
Speaking on placebo and nocebo effects, Tarhan noted that In social psychology, social phenomena are sinusoidal. They rise, evil increases, pessimism grows. Then solutions are developed, goodness increases, evil declines. This cycle continues. Right now, pessimism is widespread in Türkiye. However, we have many positive values. The current atmosphere of despair is largely artificial, caused by limitations on freedom of expression. Türkiye is not truly in a state that warrants such pessimism. Yet, people who suppress their emotions and cannot express themselves inevitably drift into despair. At this point, the concepts of placebo and nocebo become relevant. If a person believes a medication will help them, the placebo effect can lead to a 40% improvement. When someone says, ‘This medicine made me feel better,’ they actually feel the benefits. Headaches disappear in 20 to 30 out of 100 people, for example. This was documented in a study published in the 1980s. Believing that ‘my headache will go away’ triggers the release of endorphins in the brain. The brain takes action and suppresses the pain. If a substance is then given to block this effect, the pain returns. This demonstrates the neurophysiological basis of the placebo effect, and it chemically alters the brain and activates endorphins. On the other hand, nocebo occurs when someone believes, ‘I will get sick, I will feel dizzy,’ and then actually experiences dizziness, even if nothing is wrong. The brain, believing illness is imminent, begins to prepare itself, and the perception system is triggered, defenses activate, and relevant chemicals are produced. In essence, the person invites the illness without realizing it, because the brain believes it.”
“Society is an ecosystem”
Tarhan explained that when a society breaks down, healthy individuals cannot develop and stated that Society functions as an ecosystem. The smallest core of this ecosystem is the family. Just like the central hub of a wheel in legal terms if that hub fails, the wheel does not turn. Likewise, in society, if the nuclear family is not functioning well, the entire system breaks down. No matter how wealthy or developed a country may be, if the family structure collapses, the ecosystem cannot function properly. Without healthy individuals, social problems will inevitably emerge over time, that is, 30 or even 60 years later. At the center is the nuclear family of parents and children. The second layer includes extended family, and the third, the broader social circle. Within this structure, various stress factors affect the individual, and life events and traumas disrupt the ecosystem.”
“In psychology, the main issue is how we perceive events”
Emphasizing the importance of emotional awareness, Tarhan continued his remarks as follows: In the past, humans were viewed merely as biopsychosocial beings. In truth, humans are biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual beings. According to this model, what causes illness is not necessarily the events themselves, but how we respond to them. People often say the wind makes a kite fly, but no, the kite flies based on how it is positioned against the wind. That is why in psychology, the core issue is how we perceive events. When a person knows themselves, that is, when they have high emotional awareness, they become less socially traumatized. Many traumas experienced in relationships are also tied to this concept.”
“Serotonin is produced in the brains of those who seek meaning”
Speaking about two types of happiness, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that “For a person to survive and thrive, it is essential to pursue meaning. This is not a new idea. Aristotle also spoke about it. He stated that there are two kinds of happiness: hedonic and eudaimonic. Hedonic happiness is pleasure-based and associated with dopamine. When people chase dopamine, they tend to want more and more. But the brain’s sustainable chemical is serotonin. Serotonin is produced in the brains of those who pursue meaning. It is released slowly and steadily. When life is lived in pursuit of meaning, happiness becomes more lasting. Teaching this is crucial. That’s why many concepts in psychology and psychiatry are currently evolving. Computational artificial intelligence will also influence this field. Entering a calculable domain does not make our work harder, and it makes it easier. Because human psychology is a measurable field, it is possible to apply mathematical modeling to it. Those who are interested in such modeling will be the ones who stay ahead of the future. The ability to create a mathematical model of what we do here is extremely important.”
“Those who are interested in positive psychology achieve authentic happiness”
Emphasizing the importance of achieving authentic happiness, Tarhan explained that When someone faces an event, there are things they can control and things they cannot. According to this, a decision is made in the brain’s frontal lobe. The frontal lobe acts like a jury. This jury is composed of a judge and four members. The first member is the scientist, and this member evaluates whether the event is real. the second is the moralist or theologian, who considers what is right and wrong. The third is the aesthetician, who evaluates whether something is beautiful or ugly. he fourth is the economist, who performs cost-benefit analysis. After all these analyses, the frontal lobe decides: Do or do not do, appropriate or inappropriate, valid or invalid. Each decision we make is guided by this internal jury. Life is a series of choices. Everything we do is a choice, and we move forward based on those choices. Those interested in positive psychology can attain authentic happiness. A person who attains this type of happiness can be content even in prison, just as they can be in a palace.”
“The cure for despair is a holistic perspective”
Explaining that living out core societal values prevents despair, Tarhan said: “Democratic systems require patience and time. Our university’s motto includes this: accountability and openness to criticism. If a critique is valid, we must benefit from it. A person who accepts criticism is someone with high self-confidence. Those who avoid criticism often feel weak and insecure. Narcissists are prime examples of this. One of the most notable traits of narcissists is their fear of being ordinary. They feel they must always succeed. That is why, when criticized, they lose confidence and fall apart. You know how some people whistle in a cemetery and are seen as brave? In fact, they do that to fight their fear. The truth is, they are afraid and have developed pathological defense mechanisms. Another key principle is freedom. The opposite of positivity is despotism, that is, forcing others to accept your views. Third is pluralism, that is, allowing space for differing opinions. Wanting everyone to think exactly like you is a totalitarian mindset. Fourth is participation. When someone makes decisions by consulting others, when they travel or take action with input from peers, it leads to collective solutions. Humanity recognized the value of these principles after World War II. We must also integrate these values into our lives. If we keep these values alive, we will not fall into despair. The cure for despair is a holistic perspective. With this mindset, it becomes easier to deal with difficulties, and the likelihood of despair decreases.”
“If you emerge stronger from crisis, your psychological defense system becomes stronger”
Highlighting the opportunity for growth through hardship, Tarhan stated that “When our physical integrity is threatened, our muscles tense, our nerves ache, and we feel pain. When our psychological integrity is compromised, we feel anxiety. Anxiety is essentially a form of fear. When our psychological stability is on the verge of collapse, anxiety sets in. Just as we take painkillers for physical pain, we also need remedies for psychological distress. We must identify what threatens our psychological integrity and find ways to emerge stronger from it. If you emerge from a crisis stronger, your psychological defense system is strengthened, and your ego resilience increases. Rather than battling the problem head-on, we should aim to learn from it and grow. Humans possess the capacity to find a way out in every difficulty. All of these experiences exist to help us grow.”
“Human psychology is like an ocean”
Offering advice to students, Tarhan said that Newton once said, ‘We are like children playing on the seashore, while the great ocean of truth lies undiscovered before us.’ A man who revolutionized science admitted that what he found was only a small part of the truth. A vast ocean lies ahead of us, and we are merely playing on the shore. If we consider this, we can say that human psychology is like an ocean. We are about to embark on a journey of exploration in this vast sea. The best discoveries in the sea are made by divers. Divers are equipped with special tools, that is, oxygen tanks and other equipment to go deep. The more advanced the diver, the deeper they can dive and retrieve pearls and treasures. However, they must be trained. Likewise, you must learn how to dive deep into the human psyche. Reaching the truth is not something that happens all at once.”
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)