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Team

Mabelle Kretchner
PhD Student & Research Assistant
I am a PhD student supervised by Prof. Eran Halperin, Dr. Julia Elad-Strenger & Prof. Sivan Hirsch-Hoefler. I Received my BA in Psychology and MA in Social Psychology and intergroup relations from Reichman University under the supervision of Prof. Gilad Hirschberger. I am interested in the psychological factors of intergroup tensions. My current research focuses on the emotional basis of the political divide and extremism. I am Also developing the "Motivated Helplessness" hypothesis - examining the protective function of perceived helplessness in handling social threats along with Dr. Uri Lifshin & Prof. Mario Mikulincer.
I am a PhD student supervised by Prof. Eran Halperin, Dr. Julia Elad-Strenger & Prof. Sivan Hirsch-Hoefler. I Received my BA in Psychology and MA in Social Psychology and intergroup relations from Reichman University under the supervision of Prof. Gilad Hirschberger. I am interested in the psychological factors of intergroup tensions. My current research focuses on the emotional basis of the political divide and extremism. I am Also developing the "Motivated Helplessness" hypothesis - examining the protective function of perceived helplessness in handling social threats along with Dr. Uri Lifshin & Prof. Mario Mikulincer.

Shir Presser
Research Assistant
I completed a bachelor's degree in behavioral science at Ben Gurion University, where I am currently completing my master's degree in social psychology (in the SCMB lab; Society, Cognition, Motivation, and Brain). My main research interest is the reward value of confirmation of interpersonal idiosyncratic expectations and stereotypes, under the supervision of Dr. Niv Reggev. My passion for research, stereotypes, gender, and politics led me to become a research assistant for Dr. Elad-Strenger and Prof. Sivan Hirsch-Hoefler.
I completed a bachelor's degree in behavioral science at Ben Gurion University, where I am currently completing my master's degree in social psychology (in the SCMB lab; Society, Cognition, Motivation, and Brain). My main research interest is the reward value of confirmation of interpersonal idiosyncratic expectations and stereotypes, under the supervision of Dr. Niv Reggev. My passion for research, stereotypes, gender, and politics led me to become a research assistant for Dr. Elad-Strenger and Prof. Sivan Hirsch-Hoefler.

David Azory
MA Student & Research Assistant
I graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from Ben Gurion University in 2018.
My research is focused on the political center in Israel, and am currently an MA student in the political studies department at Bar Ilan University. In my research, I examine whether the political center has characteristics that distinguish it from the left or right-wing of the political system.
I graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from Ben Gurion University in 2018.
My research is focused on the political center in Israel, and am currently an MA student in the political studies department at Bar Ilan University. In my research, I examine whether the political center has characteristics that distinguish it from the left or right-wing of the political system.

Menucha Saitowitz
MA Student
I have a bachelor's in Psychology and Religion from Dartmouth College, and am currently studying in Bar Ilan's Master's Program in Religious and Middle Eastern Politics. I am currently pursuing a thesis regarding how left wing vs right wing Jewish Israelis perceive threats from various outgroups in the population.
I have a bachelor's in Psychology and Religion from Dartmouth College, and am currently studying in Bar Ilan's Master's Program in Religious and Middle Eastern Politics. I am currently pursuing a thesis regarding how left wing vs right wing Jewish Israelis perceive threats from various outgroups in the population.

Jawad Halabi
MA Student
I am from Daliat el Carmel, am married and a father. I graduated with a Master degree from Haifa University, and now writing my thesis on how the Israeli "nationality law" affects the Druze community in Israel.
I am from Daliat el Carmel, am married and a father. I graduated with a Master degree from Haifa University, and now writing my thesis on how the Israeli "nationality law" affects the Druze community in Israel.

Join us!
Supervision of Master and PhD theses is offered on the following topics:
* Manifestations, antecedents, and consequences of internal conflicts within Israeli society (Religious, national, ethnic and ideological)
* The psychological factors that shape policy and voting preferences
* Psychological differences between liberalism and conservatism / left and right
* The psychology of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
* Antecedents and consequences of support for political violence and social exclusion
* Stereotypes and prejudice in intergroup conflict
* The politics of threat perceptions
* Manifestations, antecedents, and consequences of internal conflicts within Israeli society (Religious, national, ethnic and ideological)
* The psychological factors that shape policy and voting preferences
* Psychological differences between liberalism and conservatism / left and right
* The psychology of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
* Antecedents and consequences of support for political violence and social exclusion
* Stereotypes and prejudice in intergroup conflict
* The politics of threat perceptions
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