II. International Conference on Communication, Media, Technology and Design 02-04 May 2013 Famagusta – North Cyprus 229 SOCIAL PERCEPTION OF CYPRIAN FACEBOOK USERS IN NORTHERN CYPRUS: RECONSIDERATION OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND PARTICULARLY RESIDENTS OF NORTHERN CYPRUS Assist. Prof. Dr. Tutku Akter Psychology Department/Faculty of Humanities The American University/North Cyprus Abstract Sense of belonging and identification of self, especially social identity construction, is one of those human-related issues that need re- conceptualization due to the rise of social networking systems and virtualization of “real” circumstances. As a result, the necessity of redefining particular psychological and social-related issues has acquired currency. The purpose of the present study is to understand Cyprian Facebook users’ perception of “real world” and “real society” in which they are involved, and their notion of citizens of Northern Cyprus who are from Turkey. Accordingly, a questionnaire including 22 close-ended questions was administered to 100 volunteer “Cyprian Turk” Facebook users. The respondents’ self-identifications, whether nation-based identifications are widespread or not, the way in which they identify others, and whether family, society, and social structure are effective in their lives or not, were examined. In other words, the present study explored how the Cyprian Facebook users who live in Northern Cyprus consider social structure that exists in real world – particularly, citizens of Northern Cyprus who are from Turkey. Keywords: Self-identification, other, sense of belonging, place identity Introduction As it is known, “identity” is one of the broadly used terms in social sciences. For this reason, its meaning may differ in accordance with different people. It is “sometimes used to refer to a sense of integration of the self, in which different aspects come together in a unified whole” (Deaux, 2001:1) i . Apart from this, the term “identity” is handled by various fields such as politics, international relations, and psychology. For the purpose of the present study, this problematic term will be considered within psychological context. Thus, identity or social identity, which is the core of the research, can be explained as an individual’s knowledge that he/she belongs to a social category or group, which is a set of individuals who hold common social identifications and view themselves as a part of the same social category (Stets & Burke, 2000) ii . Fearon (1999) iii categorized identity into three groups: as a social category defined by membership regulations and distinguishing characteristics or expected actions, as socially distinctive characteristics for which an individual takes a special self-respect, and as the combination of two, unalterable but socially important. Due to the rapid development of communication technologies, new spaces for socialization and thus need for new identities have also surfaced. As it is known, virtual environments are currently expanding in importance, especially through providing an opportunity to a new aspect of media, namely, social media, which has also created virtual worlds that play increasingly important role in peoples’ lives. One of the most significant distinctions between real and virtual spaces is the fact that they are social spaces for shared environments of interaction, not set of “places” where one might geometrically move around. These new spheres enable people to maintain local identities as discussion participants over the spectacular individuals populating in any interactive electronic relation. In every single virtual world, members have at least one digital identity, more or less strongly linked to their core identity (Bostrom & Sandberg, 2011) iv . As noted by Slater (2004) v in contrast to the typically panicked reception of older new media technologies (telephone, television), fearful of their ill effects on social relationships and identities, the Internet has posed the possibility of entirely new relationships and identities, constituted within new media, and in competition with ostensibly non-mediated, older forms of relationships (p. 596) These spaces also enable its users to be isolated from the restrictions of their embodied real lives. Hardley (2002:570) vi clarified this by stating “when the bodies of users are left behind they are able to choose and construct their virtual form(s) and identity(ies).” An individual may find possibility to be at different physical appearances. This enables people to see how changed physical characteristics may also change your interfaces with other individuals. Thus, for the purpose of the present study, Facebook as an environment and its “Cyprian Turk” users as a sample group have been employed, representing a form of social media and citizens of virtual world, respectively. During the present study disembodiment, the factors of not to be identified physically and being isolated from the restrictions of being a member of a small society are assumed as supportive with a tendency of expressing ideas directly and openly. Research Question In the present study, how do Cyprian Facebook users, who live in Northern Cyprus, consider social structure that exist in real world and particularly citizens of Northern Cyprus who are from Turkey is explored. Unpacking questions For the purpose of the present study and to figure out how Cyprian Facebook users in Northern Cyprus perceive “real world’s real society,” which do exist and in which they are involved, as well as to determine their perception of citizens of Northern Cyprus who are from Turkey, the following unpacking questions have also been examined: • How do they identify themselves? • How do they define their political view? • How do they identify people who have moved to Northern Cyprus by the 1974 operation? • How do they identify people who have moved to Northern Cyprus in general? • Is there any correlation between their political view and identifying themselves? • Is there any correlation between their political view and identifying people from Turkey? • Whether how to be perceived by society is important for them or not? • Whether they would act differently if they were living in different country or not? • Whether society is an influential factor regarding their sexual orientation or not? • Is there any correlation between power of sanction at sexual orientation and living in a different country? Theoretical Framework Identification of self and othering Conceptualization of self or definitions of self-concept varies among different authors or theorists.