Prof. Daphna Canetti, a professor of political psychology and the Dean of the Herta and Paul Amir Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Haifa, specialises in researching the underlying causes of political conflicts in the Middle East and beyond. Her primary focus is examining how individual exposure to cyber-attacks and political violence shapes individuals’ attitudes toward war and peace. Daphna utilises a diverse array of research methodologies, including controlled randomised field experiments, spatial analysis, survey experiments, bio-political research, and physiological-political research, to explore psycho-political responses to political violence and terrorism.
Her dedication to advancing knowledge in this field has led to the successful acquisition of research grants totalling over $3 million, generously provided by organisations such as the Israel Science Foundation, United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Yale’s McMillan Centre, Yale’s Institution for Social and Policy Studies, Israel Ministry of Science, Technology, and Space, the “Start” project, and the National Institutes of Health.
Daphna also serves on the editorial boards of influential journals, including The Journal of Political Psychology, Journal of Peace Research, and the Journal of Conflict Resolution. Her contributions to political psychology have garnered prestigious awards, including the International Society of Political Psychology’s Erik Erikson Early Career Award, the Roberta Sigel Award, and the Best Paper award from the American Political Science Association.
In her extensive body of work, Daphna delves into the psycho-political responses to war, violence, and terrorism, which she has published in hi ranking journals like the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Political Behavior, Political Psychology, Psychiatry – Interpersonal and Biological Processes, Political Studies, Political Research Quarterly, Armed Forces & Society, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Electoral Studies, and Journal of Peace Research.
Beyond academia, Daphna cherishes moments with her family and engages in outdoor activities like cycling and running, providing a much-needed respite from her research, often conducted in challenging environments like the West Bank and Gaza.