Abstract
This chapter explores the effects of the stress caused by the epidemic on the individuals of the society with the effects of decisions taken during the pandemic and social media on people with different mental structures. The perception of stress/discomfort and insufficient self-efficacy in individuals were measured using the electronic questionnaire technique, and the perceived stress scale (PSS) was used to ensure a clearer perception of items. An online survey was conducted between 25/06-15/07/2020 by reaching 167 people. Awareness of the COVID-19 outbreak, their thoughts on the process, and the effects of the news they encountered in the media during this process were measured using the PSS scale. According to the research findings, the knowledge and awareness level of the participants about the epidemic process and the virus was found to be very high; as the age level increased, the stress/discomfort level increased, and the insufficient self-efficacy level remained at a lower level; the insufficient self-efficacy level is higher in younger ages than in older ages.
Top2. Conceptual Framework
According to the Turkish Language Association (TDK), the media; communication medium is defined as communication tools (TDK, 2020) However, the concept of media is a very broad concept. It is necessary to think that everything in the world is a media. For example; sound consists of waves. Waves travel at different speeds and shapes in various media. The waves that come to our ears are transmitted to our brain as sound. Many substances on earth make sounds. Sound transmission is also included in the definition of media. According to TDK, digital is specified as digital display of data on a screen (TDK, 2020).
Rapid developments in communication technologies, new communication technologies, new media, social media, internet, social networks have added many new concepts to the literature. New media has emerged with the historical combination of computer and media technologies advancing from different branches. Lev Manovich traces the developments that prepared the emergence of new media back to the 1830s. This process started with the invention of Charles Babbage's “analytical machine” and Louis Daguerre's “dagerotype” and continued until the development of a modern digital computer in the middle of the 20th century (Baslar, 2013, s. 823). According to Giddens, advances in satellite technologies and developments in digital language, which is a computer language, are among the most important developments affecting the experience of the information age (Giddens, 2005, s. 462).
It will be possible to describe Digital Media as defining the mediums and environments that can deliver huge amounts of messages in time and space to the recipient masses located in very different places (Ispir, 2013, s. 17).
According to Weinberg, social media is an application area that enables the sharing of information, different views / thoughts and experiences by public websites and quickly embeds the internet world in our lives (Weinberg, 2009, s. 1). “Social Media is a commonly used term for online tools and websites that create mutual interaction by providing users with the opportunity to share information, thoughts, interests and knowledge” (Sayımer, 2008, s. 123) Also, social media; It is said that “it is the whole of the dialogues and shares people make with each other on the internet”. Social media; technology blogs, social networks, business networks, forums, video hosting, photo sharing, product and service evaluation.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Perception: Psychology and cognitive sciences that deal with the functioning of the mind and intelligence are called the acquisition, interpretation, selection and arrangement of sensory information. In short, it can be defined as the awareness and perception of something by directing attention to that thing.
Insufficient Self-Efficacy: It is the individual's feeling inadequate in understanding, belief and judgment about himself/herself about the capacity to be successful by organizing necessary activities to show a certain performance.
Epidemic: It is a general name given to diseases that spread and show their effects in a very wide area such as a continent or even the entire surface of the world.
Social media: In short, it can be said that it is an online network where the user publishes and shares their own content.
COVID-19: Its scientific name is SARS-CoV-2. The new type of corona virus that emerged in 2019 and causes Covid-19 disease is the seventh type corona virus that affects humans.
Social Influence: It is the change in an individual's thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and behaviors as a result of interaction with another person or group.
Stress and Discomfort: It is a state of emotional and physical tension that a person feels in the face of a difficult or uncomfortable situation.
Digital Media: It refers to the media that exists in web, mobile, virtual reality platforms. It is the media that emerges with the existence of the Internet and computers, mobile, virtual reality, and augmented reality devices. This media; Includes branding, branding, communication, advertising, art, science, marketing, sales, finance, law and more.