Team
I hold an MA in social and clinical psychology and a PhD in psychology from Tel Aviv University. I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Zurich and later served as a Research Fellow at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.
As a psychologist, I am fascinated by the subtle, often unnoticed psychological mechanisms that shape our health and mental health.
Much of my work examines how societal norms, stereotypes, and expectations become internalized and influence health-related experiences, decisions, and interactions. I am particularly interested in how beauty norms affect women’s and men’s health and well-being, and how stereotypes about social groups — including gender, racial, and ethnic stereotypes — shape medical decision-making and behavior toward patients.
The lab is a home for people from diverse disciplinary and professional backgrounds. Including psychology, social work, and healthcare, who are interested in the intersection of psychology, health, and medicine.
Kim Sznajder
Ph.D Candidate
M.A. in organizational psychology
Chen Levine
MD-PhD Candidate
Chen is an MD-PhD student. She holds a B.Sc. in Biotechnology from Tel-Hai College. Her research interests lie in the broader contexts of medical care, emphasizing its psychological and cognitive components and their contribution to overall health, with a particular focus on women’s health
Hila Oron
Research Assistant
B.A. Student in Psychology
In the lab, Hila serves as a research assistant involved in studies exploring women’s mental and physical health and well-being. Additionally, her research interests include neuropsychology and psychopathology, and how they influence the mind-body connection.
Rona Zimerman Bar-Lev
MSc student
B.A. in Psychology
Rona is an MSc student whose primary research interests lie at the intersection of social psychology and psychobiology. Rona is particularly interested in how social environments, biological processes, and neuropsychological mechanisms interact to shape health and behavior. Her current research examines the effects of global warming on the physical and mental health of older adults.
Former lab members:
Dr. Shahar Zaguri-Vittenberg – Postdoctoral researcher
Natali Mashkovich – Medical research student
Yasmin Azi
Doctoral student
M.A. in educational psychology
Yasmin is a pre-doctoral student. She’s interested in studying mental health outcomes among women in the transition to motherhood. She’s especially interested in how self-objectification affects women at different stages of becoming a mother: pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and postpartum.