New Preprint: Modeling the Sense of Reality with Virtual Hallucinations
Our latest preprint is now live on bioRxiv! We developed a new virtual reality paradigm to simulate “Virtual Hallucinations” and explore how people judge the Sense of Reality – our internal gauge for whether experiences feel real. By combining psychophysics, physiology (pupil, heart, and movement), and computational modeling, we show how perception, belief, and prior expectations
Bravo to Dr. Yoni Stern on completing his doctorate in psychology!
Yoni, the first PhD to emerge from the lab, and his dissertation, The Stress-Sensitive Self, explored how stress shapes the cognitive, clinical, and physiological underpinnings of basic self-disturbances in early psychosis—combining virtual reality, computational modeling, and clinical phenomenology. The journey spanned, research, clinical training, and the occasional identity crisis (all in the name of science,
Congratulations to Post Doctoral student Lisa Simon for winning the University of Haifa’s Excellence PhD Award from the Faculty of Psychological Sciences!
Lisa’s doctoral research focused on the early prediction of stress vulnerability in healthy adults and posttraumatic stress disorder in vulnerable populations, harnessing wearable sensors in real-life focusing on psycho-physiological functioning, in the hope that it will improve early detection and intervention.
Prof. Roy Salomon and Nova Survivor Rita Yedid Speak at the United Nations on Trauma and Resilience Following the Nova Attack
Prof. Roy Salomon, together with Nova survivor Rita Yedid, was invited to speak at a special session at the United Nations focusing on trauma and resilience.In their talk, Prof. Salomon presented scientific insights into the psychological impact of trauma and the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying resilience, while Ms. Yedid shared her personal journey of survival and
MDMA’s Potential Protective Effects on Nova Attack Survivors: Insights from Our Lab’s Study
A study conducted in our lab suggests that MDMA may have provided protective effects against trauma for survivors of the Nova attack. Our research indicates that individuals under the influence of MDMA during the incident exhibited reduced traumatic responses, offering new perspectives on trauma resilience and potential therapeutic approaches
Reflecting on ISCoP 2025
Our lab had a great time at ISCoP 2025, with five fantastic presentations covering diverse and impactful topics in cognitive research. From engaging discussions to thought-provoking talks, the conference provided a platform for meaningful scientific exchange. A big thank you to the organizers and all the participants who made this event such a success! Looking
Planning ISCoP 2025
We are thrilled to announce that five presenters from our lab will be showcasing their research at the 11th Conference on Cognition Research of the Israeli Society for Cognitive Psychology (ISCoP), taking place on February 25-27, 2025. With topics ranging from interoception and resilience to trauma under psychedelics, ocular learning, and the electrophysiology of reality
Prof. Roy Salomon Presents on Nova Survivors at Shalvata Mental Health Institute
We are honored to share that Prof. Roy Salomon recently delivered an invited talk at Shalvata Mental Health Institute, focusing on the psychological impact and recovery processes of Nova festival survivors. His presentation examined the cognitive and neural mechanisms of trauma, offering insights into how individuals process and recover from extreme experiences. Prof. Salomon’s talk
Prof. Salomon, Avraham Shmueli, and Atalya Ceder featured in U.S. psychedelia documentary film.
Prof. Roy Salomon, Ph.D. student Avraham Shmueli, and Bachelor’s student Atalya Ceder were interviewed for an upcoming U.S. documentary on psychedelia, highlighting the lab’s Nova Project. Avraham leads a study using heart rate and EEG recordings to explore interoception in Nova survivors, while Atalya contributes to the lab’s fMRI study with the survivors. We’re proud
Prof. Salomon and Team Share New Findings on Psychedelics and Trauma Recovery at “Talking Psychedelics” Conference
Prof. Roy Salomon and lab members Amir Harduf, Ophir Netzer, Avraham Shmueli, and Gideon Lossin, attended the “Talking Psychedelics” conference, where Prof. Salomon presented groundbreaking results from the lab’s investigation into how psychedelics impact recovery from trauma. Following the talk, we had an emotional and inspiring meeting with several survivors who participated in the study.