Mandy Yilmaz

Contact Details:
Telephone: (+44)(1382) 384187
Email: Mandy Yilmaz

Postal Address:
School of Psychology
The University of Dundee
Dundee
DD1 4HN
Scotland, UK

Biography

Following a career in Travel and then Recruitment industry, my studies at the University of Dundee began in 2001. In 2004, I began work as a voluntary Research Assistant with Dr Suzanne Zeedyk, assisting her with her research into self-awareness. In 2005, I was chosen to represent the female population of the University of Dundee to attend and present at the Women as Global Leaders Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Attending this conference triggered an interest in cross-cultural research. In 2005, I began my dissertation on early predictors of self-awareness which was a mirror study on 6 month old infants’ with data collected in Tarsus, Turkey. I graduated in 2006 and secured funding the same year from the School of Psychology to undertake my PhD, under the leadership of Dr Suzanne Zeedyk.

Research Interests

The aim of my PhD research is to investigate the development of self-awareness in early infancy. It is widely accepted that visual self-recognition is evidence of the emergence of self-awareness, yet little is understood why some infants display this earlier than others. Some theorists argue that self-awareness develops out of interactions with social others which could explain the range in individual differences. This view contrasts with an approach more dominant within psychology, which sees the self as an internal, individualistic phenomenon, whose development is driven from within by cognitive maturation. One consequence of the dominance of the cognitive view is that the empirical literature offers few insights into the precise social mechanisms that are likely to be contributing to the development of the self. My PhD research aims to address this gap by investigating the influence and experiences various styles of interactions have on the experience and development of the self. In order to assist me with my research, I have recruited a team of 15 volunteer undergraduate assistants. Ranging from 1st year to 4th years, the team assist me with the collection, transcription and coding of data. This is something quite new to the School and has worked extremely well. As well as giving students valuable research experience, they receive annual work appraisals which detail their performance in each area of their role.

Publications


Links	Publications

	(i) Book Chapters
	Yilmaz, M., Zeedyk, M. S., and Reddy, V. (2009). Development of the self as a social phenomenon: Insights from a cross-cultural perspective. Dialogical Science: The Self in Communication, Culture and Society. (chpt 13). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (in prep)

	(ii) Conference Papers
	Yilmaz, M. (2008). Maternal role in the development of self-awareness in early infancy. Paper presented at the BPS Scottish Branch Conference, Clydebank. November.
	Zeeydk, M. S. & Yilmaz, M. (2008). Maternal influences on the development of self: Insights from cross-cultural comparisons. Paper presented at the BPS Developmental Section Conference, Oxford. September.
	Yilmaz, M. (2008). Maternal role in the development of self-awareness in early infancy: a Scottish perspective. Paper presented at the Fifth Annual Conference on the Dialogical Self, Cambridge. August.
	Yilmaz, M., Morcos, M.L., & Ritchie, M. (2005). Being Female in a Scottish University. Paper presented at the Women as Global Leaders: Educating the Next Generation Conference at Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. March.

	(iii)Invited Talks
	Yilmaz, M. (2009). Mother-infant relations in early infancy: a cross-cultural perspective. To be presented at Café Science Extra, Sensation, Dundee. February 2009.

Teaching

Qualifications & Training

Master of Arts Degree (with honours) in Psychology: Upper Second Class University of Dundee, 2006

ESRC Workshop: Introduction to longitudinal data analysis, University of Manchester (funded place secured)

Generic Skills training in:

Basic Scientific Grant Writing
Referencing Made easy - Endnote Essentials
Practical Publishing
Digital Image Manipulation - Knowing Photoshop
Digital Image Manipulation - Knowing Photoshop
Getting Started with Web-pages - a Beginners Guide to HTML Excel - Functions, Tricks and Short-cuts Post-graduate Project Management
Managing your career and maximising the value of your doctorate

Other Information

Professional memberships

British Psychological Society at GBR level
National Autistic Society

Board membership

CAUSE: Clepington Autism Unit Supporters Enterprise (founding member & joint chairperson) Awarded the Combined Community Award in November 2004 (£1000)

Leisure

When not working, I love to spend time with my husband, Yusuf, and 3 children, Josef, Adem and Danyal. We try to spend as much time as possible in Turkey, where we once lived.