Political
Psychology Lab

Gal Dor is a PhD candidate at the University of Haifa in Israel. Her research is centered on understanding the cognitive processes involved in decision-making and the formation of public opinion, primarily focusing on the context of cyber conflict. Building upon the cognitive approach to decision-making, Gal's work aims to elucidate the psychological mechanisms underlying the form0061tion of public opinion and the escalatory nature of cyber capabilities in conflicts. She employs a combination of experimental and computational methodologies within the field of political psychology. 

• Political Psychology Lab – X

• Op-Ed in Political Violence @ a glance 

• Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and the threat on democracies

Giulia Dal Bello is a doctoral student at the University of Haifa, research fellow of the IDIT PhD Fellowship, and research fellow at the Center for Cyber, Law and Policy (CCLP) at the University of Haifa. Giulia specializes in public opinion in the context of terrorism and state surveillance using a multidisciplinary approach from Political Sciences and Neuroscience. Her research explores the cognitive and emotional mechanisms that mediate the relationship between exposure to state surveillance and citizens’ willingness to engage in collective action.

Keren is an assistant professor at the Department of Politics & Communication, at Hadassah Academic College, Jerusalem. She is also a research associate at the School of Political Sciences, at the University of Haifa. Keren’s research focuses on psycho-political consequences of physical and cyber terrorism on public. Her research primarily utilizes natural experiments, survey experiments and controlled laboratory studies, to apply principles taken from political psychology to study public opinions of groups exposed to conflict and violence, as well as intergroup relations.

Recent publications include “Cyber Scares and Prophylactic Policies: Cross-National Evidence on the Effect of Cyber Attacks on Public Support for Surveillance” (Journal of Peace Research), “Terrorized by Immigration? Threat Perceptions and Policy Preferences” (Terrorism and Political Violence), “The Political Psychology of Terrorism” (The Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology), “Cyberattacks, Cyber Threats and Attitudes Toward Cybersecurity Policies” (Journal of Cybersecurity), “Anger, Anxiety, and Selective Exposure to Terrorist Violence” (Journal of Conflict Resolution).
Website: https://kerenlgsnider.wixsite.com/site

Shani Fachter is a postdoctoral researcher on the ReligSpace team at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a teaching coordinator at the Open University of Israel, and a lecturer in The University of Haifa. Her research focuses on the effect of psycho-political consequences on political and social attitude toward out-groups. More specifically, Shani studies psycho-political responses to political violence and terrorism during intractable conflicts. In her research, Shani uses experimental methodology including laboratory experiments, survey experiments, and cutting-edge technology such as virtual reality equipment. Shani’s research interests are exposure to violence, ideology, moral disengagement, political activism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Recent publications include “The Holocaust, the Socialization of Victimhood and Outgroup Political Attitudes in Israel” (Comparative Political Studies), “Come and share a story with me”: Promoting engagement between Ethiopian and Non-Ethiopian Israelis via joint digital narratives” (Technology in Society), and “Coping with moral threat: Moral judgment amid war on terror” (Journal of conflict resolution).

Academia 

Sharon Matzkin is an advanced PhD candidate at the University of Haifa's School for Political Sciences. Her research primarily explores the political implications of cyberattacks, with a special focus on how unattributed cyberattacks on critical infrastructures influence public trust in government institutions. At the nexus of political science, political psychology, cybersecurity, and terror, Sharon investigates the dynamics between the public's political orientations, their support for surveillance, and their trust in government, particularly in the context of cybersecurity threats. Her empirical work involves extensive data collection across the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel, aiming to understand diverse political reactions in different government systems. Sharon's work contributes to a deeper understanding of the intersection between exposure to terror, cybersecurity, political psychology, and political science.
 

Sintaio Almeya is a dedicated M.A. student at the Political Psychology Lab. He is currently working on his thesis, which investigates the impact of exposure to terror on trust in government, specifically focusing on the Ethiopian minority in Israel. He earned his B.A. in Political Science and Israel History from the University of Haifa. Aside from his thesis, Sintaio is an active member of a dedicated research group within the lab that focuses on public opinion among 7/10 evacuees from Northern and Southern Israel. His fluency in Amharic broadens the study's inclusive scope and enriches the team's ability to engage effectively with a diverse participant base.

Sintaio also serves as a teaching assistant for courses such as Introduction to the Political System in Israel and International Relations. Committed to advancing his academic skills, he has participated in Quantitative Research, a Systematic Literature Review, and Meta-Analysis Workshops, acquiring advanced methodologies and techniques to enhance his research capabilities.
 

Snehashree Mukherjee is an international PhD student at the School of Political Science, University of Haifa (UOH). She is also affiliated with the Political Psychology Lab, UOH. Academically, she comes from an interdisciplinary background in Bioinformatics Engineering, an Executive Master’s in Security and Diplomacy as a full scholar and an M.A with a thesis in Political Science (cum laude). Her research topic is ‘A Mind Simulated by AI, in the Context of Terrorism’. Her research observes how an individual may be affected by various forms of exposure to terrorism and political violence. She is particularly interested in exposure on cyber platforms. Her approach includes merging experimental psychology with the theories of human-computer interactions. Professionally, she has worked extensively as a political and conflict-investigative journalist in India until 2018 and is currently the founder of a startup, CyCoLogic.

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Tal is an advanced research student at the Political Psychology Lab at the University of Haifa. He obtained his B.A. in International Relations from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem and an M.A. in political science from Reichman University, with specialty in counterterrorism and homeland security studies. Today, he focuses on utilizing advanced quantitative research methods to investigate the complex interplay between group identity, exposure to terrorism and support for political violence. Tal has profound experience as a teaching and research assistant in various academic institutions, covering a wide range of topics. He currently serves as a research assistant at the Institute for Liberty and Responsibility in Reichman U, examining different angles of the Israeli public opinion and political trends. Alongside his academic endeavors, Tal is focused on attaining advanced technological proficiency to improve his knowledge and capabilities in quantitative research, including data analysis software and the utilization of artificial intelligence in this field.