"Mexican Wave": Analysis of Cognitive Structures of University Students Related to Covid-19

ABSTRACT

In this study, it is aimed to examine the cognitive structures of health management students about Covid-19. The word association test was used to collect data in the study, which was designed according to the phenomenology design. In the test, covid-19 was determined as the key concept and the cognitive structures of the students were revealed through what Covid-19 evokes, what it is like, negative effects, positive effects and how it will shape the future. From the 80 students reached, a data set of 4000 words in total, 800 belonging to each category, was obtained and the data were themed by subjecting them to content analysis. In the analysis, "mask" and "distance" as connotations, "comprehension" and "plague" as analogy, "disruptions with education" and "disorder of psychology" as negative effects, "spending time with family" and "spending time for yourself" as positive effect and, as a future, the codes of "prudent life" and "increase in economic problems" have emerged. All codes were gathered in themes and top themes and interpreted. As a result, when it comes to Covid-19, university students have more connotations of precaution and protection;students likened Covid-19 to infectious or fatal diseases;restrictions and measures were considered at the beginning of the negative effects;as positive effects, the process was seen as an opportunity for development and learning, and there were thoughts that social life would transform in the future due to this epidemic.