The predictive effect of attachment styles on social media stalking tendencies: A study on emerging adults in Istanbul

Öz

As digital culture has become central to everyday life, social media stalking has emerged as a notable phenomenon, particularly in romantic relationships. This study examines how attachment styles and perceived parental acceptance-rejection affect social media stalking tendencies among emerging adults. Conducted with a correlational survey model, the study analyzed data from 520 participants aged 18–25 living in Istanbul using correlation and regression analyses. Findings showed that secure and avoidant attachment styles were not significantly related to stalking behavior, whereas anxious-ambivalent attachment was a significant predictor of social media stalking tendencies. Relationships between parental acceptance- rejection levels and stalking behavior were not statistically significant. Accordingly, social media stalking appears to be associated primarily with anxious-ambivalent attachment, while the role of perceived parental acceptance-rejection may be more indirect and requires further qualitative investigation. By empirically addressing a relatively under-researched phenomenon, the study contributes to media psychology.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Cyberstalking
• social media
• parental acceptance-rejection theory
• attachment styles
• media psychology

Bağlanma stillerinin sosyal medya stalk eğilimleri üzerindeki yordayıcı etkisi: İstanbul’daki beliren yetişkinler üzerine bir araştırma

Öz

Dijital kültürün gündelik yaşamda merkezi hale gelmesiyle birlikte sosyal medyada stalklama özellikle romantik ilişkiler bağlamında dikkat çeken bir olguya dönüşmüştür. Bu araştırma, beliren yetişkinlik dönemindeki bireylerde bağlanma stillerinin ve ebeveyn kabul-red algısı düzeyinin sosyal medyada stalklama eğilimine etkisini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma ilişkisel tarama modeliyle yürütülmüş; İstanbul’da yaşayan 18–25 yaş aralığındaki 520 katılımcıdan elde edilen veriler korelasyon ve regresyon analizleriyle değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular, güvenli ve kaçınan bağlanma stillerinin stalklama davranışıyla anlamlı ilişki göstermediğini, buna karşın kaygılı-kararsız bağlanma stilinin sosyal medya stalklama eğiliminin anlamlı bir yordayıcısı olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Ebeveyn kabul-red düzeyiyle stalklama davranışı arasındaki ilişkiler ise istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmamıştır. Sonuç olarak, sosyal medyada stalklama eğilimi yalnızca kaygılı-kararsız bağlanma stiliyle ilişkili görünürken, ebeveyn kabul-red algısının etkisi daha dolaylı olabileceğinden nitel yöntemlerle açıklanmaya muhtaç görünmektedir. Çalışma, literatürde görece sınırlı incelenmiş bir olguya ampirik katkı sağlayarak medya psikolojisi alanına özgün bir katkı sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Siber stalk
• sosyal medya
• ebeveyn kabul-red teorisi
• bağlanma stilleri
• medya psikolojisi

Kaynakça

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