Abstract:

The aim of this study is to identify social psychological factors that play a role in supporting social change. For this purpose, a semi-experimental study was conducted in which participants were assigned to one of four different scenarios where the results of social change were beneficial or disadvantaged for the membership group, where the change occurred quickly or slowly (2 X 2) and where the results of social change were beneficial or disadvantaged. The sample of the study was created by the students of the psychology department (N=279) from each class level, and the context for psychologists was the profession law. In the created scenarios, the advantage that the professional law design will create for psychologists and the speed of the design turning into law are manipulated. After reading the scenarios, participants filled a survey form aimed at measuring the levels of identity with psychology, the uncertainty they perceive about change, the legitimacy of change, threats and the positive and negative emotions they feel. The analysis was carried out by the MANCOVA method where the identification variable is assigned as the control variable. The results showed that the common effect of the rate of change and the result (benefit status) created significant differences in all dependent variable measurements. The result of change, unilaterally, creates meaningful differences in all dependent variables; the speed of change, unilaterally, creates meaningful differences only in the perception of legitimacy variable. The findings are discussed in the light of the theory and concepts.

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