Pelin Ozgur

Investigating the Effects Message Framing in changing health behaviours in two cultures (UK and Turkey)

I received my BA in psychology (2008) and MSc in clinical psychology (2011) from Ankara University, Turkey. My studies allowed me to explore different areas of psychology through internships. During my undergraduate and postgraduate studies, I took part in four research projects, which two of them were funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), as a research assistant, and worked as a volunteer supervisor in a project on supporting cognitive development of children growing in care homes. Through the brain-based cognitive behavioural therapy training that I attended during my Master’s Degree, I got a great chance to study both practically and theoretically on the body-brain relationship, and how the ways of individuals’ thinking might be related to physical disorders and their ongoing effects. Gathering all my experiences together, I desired to combine my clinical psychology knowledge with a health psychology training.

In 2010, I was awarded a scholarship from Turkish Government for my postgraduate education, and left my research assistant position on the Gene-Environment Interactions in Schizophrenia project funded by The European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme. After completing MSc Health Psychology at the University of St Andrews, I started my PhD in January, 2014. I am going to be an academic when I go back to my country, and hopefully contribute to the development of health psychology by both doing my research and enlightening individuals regarding psychology and health.

I am currently focusing on the effects of framed health messages regarding physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake and alcohol consumption in relation to stress management, and investigating how the impact of these messages on changing attitudes, intentions, and health behaviours differ between the British and Turkish cultures.

I am also passionate about mindfulness, reading sci-fi and fantasy novels and completing large-scale Jigsaw puzzles. Before leaving the UK, I would like to make my dream of becoming a Celtic-harp player come true.

Presentations and poster sessions

  1. Ozgur P., Altuk, B., & Erden, M.G. Assessment of primary school children’s cognitive skills: children’s drawings. Verbal session presented at: 3rd National Congress of Psychology Graduate Students; 2009 June 24-28; Istanbul, Turkey.
  2. Ozgur, P. & Batigun, A.D. Testing the probability of a model to predict suicide risk in university students. Poster session presented at: 2nd National Congress of Psychology Graduate Students; 2008 June 26-29; Kastamonu, Turkey.

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