Erol Güngör facts for kids

Erol Güngör (born November 25, 1938, in Kırşehir – died 1983) was an important Turkish social psychologist and writer. He spent his career studying how language, our sense of right and wrong (morality), and our beliefs (values) are shaped by the society we live in. Güngör wrote a lot about nationalism and culture during a time when Turkey was working to create its own modern, democratic identity.

Early Life and Studies

Erol Güngör was born in Central Anatolia, Turkey. In 1956, he started studying law at Istanbul University. But his path changed when he met his mentor, Mümtaz Tarhan. Inspired by Tarhan, Güngör decided to switch his focus to psychology.

He earned his PhD in experimental psychology in 1965. His special research was about "Aesthetic Organization in Verbal Structures." This looked at how language can have a beautiful or artistic effect on us, even beyond its simple meaning or purpose.

From 1966 to 1967, Güngör traveled to the United States. He did research at the University of Colorado Boulder as part of the Fulbright Program. There, he studied how different meanings of words can sometimes cause disagreements between people.

In 1971, Güngör returned to Istanbul University. He became an assistant professor in experimental psychology. By 1978, he was a full professor and even led the Experimental Psychology department. He taught social psychology for many years. In 1982, he moved to Konya to help start Selçuk University as its first leader (rector). Sadly, he passed away from a sudden heart attack just one year later, in 1983.

Ideas on Society and Culture

Much of Erol Güngör's influence comes from his writings about creating a modern Turkish national culture. This was a crucial time for Turkey, as it was trying to find its identity after the end of the Ottoman Empire.

Güngör believed that morality, or what we consider right and wrong, is always changing. He thought it should be a balance between what society expects and what an individual believes. He argued that if a society's rules and an individual's moral beliefs are very similar, it helps create a peaceful community. This is because they share common values that shape their feelings and understanding.

Güngör also thought about how globalization (the world becoming more connected) mixed with traditional Islamic Turkish values. He believed that a modern Turkish society did not have to give up its cultural values. He felt that Turkey could modernize while still keeping its unique culture and also becoming more democratic.

He even had some disagreements with his mentor, Mümtaz Tarhan. Güngör thought Tarhan's views were too old-fashioned. He argued that Turkey needed to update itself in a way that supported both democracy and Turkish culture. Güngör understood that culture is always changing. He also noticed that some Turkish scholars were starting to criticize their own background. While some people today see Güngör as a very traditional Islamic scholar, he actually supported a society that embraced both Islamic culture and democracy.

Selected Works

• Güngör, Erol (1968). "The Role of Differential Connotations in Interpersonal Conflict"
• Güngör, Erol (1995). Türk kültürü ve milliyetçilik (Turkish Culture and Nationalism)
• Dünden Bugüne Tarih Kültür ve Milliyetçilik (History, Culture, and Nationalism from Yesterday to Today) (Ötüken Neşriyat, Istanbul, 2020)
• Islam'ın Bugünkü Meseleleri (Today's Issues of Islam) (Ötüken Neşriyat, Istanbul, 1998)
• Islam Tasavvufunun Meseleleri (Issues of Islamic Mysticism) (Ötüken Neşriyat, Istanbul, 2000)