The Department of Psychology at the Hebrew University has a magnificent history of research and instruction. Following this tradition, the first psychology department in Israel continues to lead the way in research with faculty members who are world- renowned in their fields and outstanding students.

 

The research in the department deals with central and current questions in the field of psychology: How do we perceive the world through our senses? How do our thought processes work? What is the nature of memory? Why do we act the way we act? Where do our emotions come from? How do affect and thought processes influence each other? What is the mind-body connection? The cognition- mind question? How can you treat a person's mind? These questions and others are being researched with the purpose of advancing the scientific understanding of human behavior. The researchers in the department approach these questions from a variety of different perspectives- cognitive, social, biological, neurological, developmental and clinical.

 

The research in the department is conducted in research laboratories with advanced technological equipment, like systems measuring behavioral, physiological and neural responses, virtual reality systems, and systems testing human interaction. The research is conducted in collaboration with international partners and with important departments and centers in Israel, including the Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, the Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation, and the Center for the Study of Rationality.

 

The department does not only emphasize excellence in research but also stresses teaching and training students. In B.A. studies, hundreds of students are exposed to central and fascinating issues in psychology and acquire educational tools and basic research skills. In M.A. studies, the students specialize in more specific areas in psychology, which are either practical or research-oriented. Under this framework, the next generations of Israel's clinical therapists, organizational psychologists and neuropsychologists are trained. In doctoral studies, the students continue to delve into selected research topics. Alumni of the department integrate into academia and the workplace in Israel and all over the world, and advance us all to the psychology of tomorrow.