I am Omer Ben Simhon, a doctoral student in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. My research lies at the intersection of political communication, attitude change, and interpersonal dynamics.
My dissertation explores how political conversations shape societal divides. I examine, via experimental methods, the psychological factors that influence citizens' engagement in political conversations and analyze whether these conversations bridge or deepen political rifts. My work on political conversations has been presented at leading conferences such as ICA, APSA, ISPP, and ECPR and has been awarded several prizes.
In addition to working on my dissertation, I am actively involved in the Experimental Political Communication Lab, funded by the ISF (Israel Science Foundation). In this research group, led by Dr. Eran Amsalem, we study the effects of extreme political rhetoric on individuals' emotions, attitudes, and behavior. I also lead another project that investigates how extreme political rhetoric affects individuals’ level of aggressiveness.
Beyond my academic work, I have managed the Israel Sociological Association's social media pages and founded the social platforms for the journal "Media Frames" (the Israeli Journal of Communication). I also serve as a teaching assistant in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Department of Communication at Sapir College.
Relevant research interests
- Political Communication
- Political Persuasion
- Interpersonal Communication
- Conflict Resolution
- Political Psychology
Publications
- Amsalem, E. & Ben Simhon, O. (forthcoming). Interpersonal Communication, in Nai, Grömping & Wirz (Eds.), Elgar Encyclopedia of Political Communication. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Academic awards and scholarships
- Outstanding Thesis Award – Interpersonal Communication Division, ICA (2025)
- Michael Haley Prize – ICA (2025)
- SPARK Award – APSA Political Communication Section (2024)
- "Future in Hebrew" Scholarship for Outstanding Ph.D. Students – Hebrew University (2024–2028)
- Dean’s Prize for Excellent Students – Faculty of Social Sciences, Hebrew University (2024)
- Rector’s Prize for Excellent Students – Hebrew University (2024)
- Thesis Writing Encouragement Scholarship – Faculty of Social Sciences (2024)
- Prof. Yaakov Shamir Prize – Excellence in Political Communication Research (2024)
- Dr. Yuval Shachal Prize – Outstanding Research Paper, ISCA (2024)
- Excellence in Teaching Award – Hebrew University (2024 & 2025)
- Smart Institute Scholarship for Outstanding Graduate Students – Hebrew University (2022–2024)
- Levi Eshkol Institute Research Grants (2023, 2025)
- President’s Scholarships – Sapir College (2021, 2022)