Examining the relationship between systems thinking and environmental perception

In this study, the relation between individuals‟ systems thinking skills and their environmental perception was researched. In addition, how individuals‟ social media usage levels differ for both individuals‟ systems thinking skills and environmental perception is analyzed. Therefore, firstly, the data about the social media usage of individuals were collected using the personal information form created by the researcher. Then, the Environmental Perception Scale developed by Mürşet Çakmak (2020) and the Systems Thinking Perception Scale developed by Dolansky et al. (2010) and adapted to Turkish by Harmancı (2019) were implemented face-to-face or digitally. The reliability coefficient of the scale of systems thinking scale used in this study was higher than 0.7 (.926). The reliability of the coefficient of the environmental perception scale used in this study was higher than 0.7 (.979). The sample of the research consists of 315 individuals residing in Istanbul, over the age of 17, using social media. Pearson correlation test was applied to the data collected about the variables of the study. As a result of the analysis realized with the SPSS program, a medium level of positive correlation was found between the systems thinking perception and the environmental perception (.46). Besides a low level of positive correlation was found between the individuals' systems thinking levels and the use of social media. A low level of positive correlation was also found between the environmental perception and the use of social media (.16). To sum up, it has been determined that there is a positive correlation between individuals' social media usage times and their perceptions of systems thinking and environmental perceptions. It has been determined that there is a positive correlation between environmental perception and system thinking, environmental perception and social media usage level, and system thinking and social media usage level. Based on the results of the study, it could be said that systems thinking should be included in the education curriculum together with its outcomes in order to improve environmental perception, and social media platforms can be restructured with the principles of systems thinking in the context of environmental perception.