A sociological research on social fears (A case of Fırat University)

Although the feeling of fear exists naturally, fear factors occur by being learned through the socialization process. Hence the personality, values and attitudes shaped by the present social structures and systems should be analyzed on the basis of the factors of fear. In this study, factors that are effective in the formation of social fears, forms of fear, the ways of coping with fears and the influence area of fear were analyzed. This study questions the relationship between the factors causing fear and today's dominant parameters as an academic organization, on the example of Firat University. Instructors were preferred as the population of this study. In this study performed as a qualitative and quantitative research, the sample group was formed from 14 individuals in addition, representetions of all titles wereobtained through the instructors in the interview technique. Snowball and maximum variation sampling were applied. In the survey technique, 315 out of 1733 instructors were chosen through simple random sampling and our sample group was clustered in the rate of 315/1733=0,18 for titles so that it could represent the entire population. The survey included 11 demographical questions, 56 questions about forms of fear and 18 questions to analyze the fear factors. At the end of this quantitative and qualitative research, value loss as a result of modernity, individualization, narcissism and competition were determined as fear factors among instructors. The types of fear with highest ratios that are affected by these factors in the university are as follows: gossip, being target for campaign to discredit, losing trust in people and justice, to behave unjustly, getting angry and failing to have anger control, becoming non-productive, failing to be helpful for one's family and country. At the end of qualitative research, individualization, personality disorder, narcissism, manner of rule, organizational structure and reduced sense of confidence due to competition cause the spread of fear among instructors. Despite the lack of confidence resulting from the feeling of fear among instructors, the existence of spiritual values originating from transition period constitutes the reason for active existence of communication networks, and altruism, that is, social capital with purpose of help.