Given that most studies on femicide were conducted in Western societies, there is still a need to study the phenomenon among diverse sociocultural contexts, particularly in traditional communities within non-Western contexts. This study focuses on identifying possible risk factors for female honor killing (FHK). A total of 102 cases involving the main Arab subgroups in Israel—Muslim Arabs and Christian Arabs—were analyzed from an 11-year period. Study findings note intriguing diversity in femicide risk factors. Commonly considered risk factors previously noted in Western societies’ studies, such as prior domestic violence and being in an intimate relationship, were not significant in FHK cases. Instead, being unmarried and older than 30 were found to be associated with increased risks of FHK. These findings suggest a need for further exploration of sociocultural diversity in femicide risk factors.

Research has documented implicit racial bias in the U.S. justice system. This study examined whether perceived race shapes judgments of recidivism and sentencing severity. A total of 201 participants read an identical offense description attributed to either Darnell Johnson (a Black-sounding name) or Scott Johnson (a White-sounding name) and evaluated the case. Participants perceived the Black defendant as more likely to reoffend and deserving of harsher punishment. Sentencing disparities were mediated by perceived recidivism risk, such that higher risk judgments predicted harsher sentences. Notably, greater awareness of racial discrimination was associated with stronger perceptions that the Black defendant was more prone to reoffend. Findings highlight the persistence of racial bias in legal judgments and its implications for sentencing decisions.

Confirmation and intergroup biases significantly influence legal decision-making, particularly in evaluations of evidence and credibility. While prior research has examined ethnicity and criminal history separately, little is known about their interaction in shaping perceptions of eyewitness effectiveness. In this study, 324 Israeli-Jewish participants assessed an eyewitness—either Israeli-Arab or Israeli-Jewish—with or without a criminal record. Drawing on social identity theory, we hypothesized that in-group eyewitnesses would be evaluated more favorably than out-group eyewitnesses, particularly when a criminal record was present. Contrary to this prediction, Israeli-Arab eyewitnesses were rated as more effective than Israeli-Jewish eyewitnesses. A significant interaction revealed that Israeli-Jewish eyewitnesses with a criminal record were perceived as less effective than their Israeli-Arab counterparts, whereas no ethnic differences emerged when no record was present. Findings highlight the joint influence of intergroup dynamics and criminal history, and underscore the need for future replication using more ecologically valid and diverse methodologies.

This study explored perceptions of intergroup violence among Israeli Jews (n = 157) and Israeli Arabs (n = 84) after the October 7th terror attack. It examined whether actual support for violence or perceived support better predicts real-world attitudes. Findings show Israeli Jews express more support for intergroup violence and overestimate Arab hostility. Israeli Arabs recognise this misperception but underestimate its extent. Meanwhile, Jews wrongly believe Arabs overestimate Jewish hostility. These inaccurate meta-perceptions fuel intergroup tensions. Addressing them may be key to improving relations, as beliefs about how others see us can be as impactful as our own views.

The integrated threat theory (ITT) highlights the role of symbolic and realistic threats in predicting negative attitudes towards out-group members. However, little is known about how perceived threat may influence credibility judgement. Drawing from social identity theory and ITT, this study aims to expand current knowledge by examining a conceptual model. The model posits that perceived realistic and symbolic threat moderate the relationship between a suspect's ethnicity and credibility judgement. 404 Israeli-Jewish students participated, reading an alibi statement provided by either an Israeli-Jewish or an Israeli-Arab suspect, then answering questions about the credibility of the alibi statement and perceived threat. As hypothesised, the Israeli-Jewish suspect's alibi was perceived more credible than the Israeli-Arab's alibi. Also, symbolic threat moderates the relationship between a suspect's ethnicity and credibility judgement. These results underscore the importance of understanding majority-minority relations in criminology.

This study examined how Big Five personality traits influence PTSD symptom development in civilian populations exposed to prolonged, multi-front conflict. Regression analyses of 100 participants revealed substantial increases, yielding three findings challenging conventional trauma models. First, personality traits demonstrated validity: neuroticism amplified PTSD severity while extraversion conferred protection, explaining 21% of variance. Second, contrary to proximity-based frameworks, geographic distance, gender, and military experience showed no effects, suggesting vulnerability transcends conventional demographics. Third, pre-conflict symptoms emerged as the strongest predictor, accounting for 62.5% of variance (R2 = 68%). Findings necessitate personality-informed intervention and early identification of vulnerable individuals in conflict-affected populations.

This qualitative study examines schism in relation to integrated threat theory (ITT), triggered by the "crossing of a red line." It analyzes threats from Hamas to Palestinian Arab Israeli Civilians (PAIC) and the ensuing rapid schism within this group, using articles from three major Israeli news websites over 18 days after Hamas's October 7th, 2023, targeted mainly Israeli Jewish civilians living near Gaza. The focus is on PAIC support for Israel and antagonism toward Hamas. Findings highlight three symbolic threats and one realistic threat concerning Islam's reputation, Palestinian humanization, and Palestinians' status in Israel, shedding light on the community's complex dynamics.

The present study examined the impact of participant and offender gender on perceptions of medical cannabis (MC) diversion. The study included 254 Israeli-Jewish adults (approximately half men). Participants evaluated scenarios depicting MC diversion by a cancer patient (the offender in this case), with offender gender manipulated to examine its effect on perceptions of illegality, severity, and morality. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed a notable interaction between participant's gender and offender's gender. Specifically, participants perceived MC diversion committed by an in-group offender (i.e. one of the same gender) as more severe and more illegal than the same offense when committed by an out-group offender (i.e. of a different gender). The findings underscore the role of participant and offender gender in influencing public attitudes toward MC diversion and are interpreted through the theoretical lens of Social Identity Theory. The practical implications of these findings extend to investigative procedures, interrogations, and related processes.

Research has shown that perceived realistic and symbolic threats are linked with negative attitudes and prejudice toward out-group members. Additionally, levels of perceived group threat regarding out-groups can affect intergroup violence justification. Based on the Integrated Threat Theory (ITT), the current study aimed to expand existing knowledge by examining a conceptual model in which perceived threat mediates the relationship between ethnicity and intergroup violence justification among Jews and Arabs in Israel. The study involved 324 Israeli-Jewish and 325 Israeli-Arabs, who answered questions regarding perceived out-group threat and intergroup violence justification. Findings revealed that (a) Jews were more likely to justify intergroup violence than Arabs, and (b) perceived realistic threat mediates the relationship between ethnic affiliation and intergroup violence justification only among Jews. These results underscore the importance of understanding intergroup conflicts in the field of criminology.

The literature highlights distinctions between criminal activities of teenage street gangs and organised criminal gangs yet lacks clear differentiation in studies. Theoretical explanations often cite poverty, inadequate parental oversight, and adolescent identity-seeking as key factors. The current study on Israeli youth, based on police interviews, reveals similarities and differences. Both groups originate from drug-accessible neighbourhoods with criminal records, but criminal gang members prioritise sustained criminal activity for income and status. In contrast, street gang involvement is less structured, allowing easier exit. Effective prevention should target at-risk street gang members early before progression to criminal gangs complicates desistance.

In May 2021, 10 days of violent riots between Palestinian Arab Israeli citizens (PAIC) and Jewish citizens led to casualties, injuries, and property damage. The severity and aftermath of these events prompted investigations into their underlying causes. In the current study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 PAIC individuals. Content analysis revealed several factors contributing to the perception of the causes of the May 2021 riots. A combination of living under pressure in Israel, identity and solidarity with Palestinians, on-going racism and discrimination, and fear of an existential threat- Nakba - heightened the perception of an amplified threat, which led to a significant response. The primary immediate factor was the perceived existential threat felt by PAIC, including the fear of forced eviction from their homes and lands. This perceived existential threat, compounded by the dread of a catastrophic event similar to the 1948 Nakba, played a significant role in fueling the intense riots. Additionally, underlying issues such as the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Jews, perceived discrimination, and racism against PAIC were identified.

Research has revealed that ethnicity has a significant influence on police officers, potentially leading to discriminatory practices against suspects from different ethnic backgrounds. This study aimed to investigate the inclination to favor members of one's own social group, as proposed by social identity theory, when evaluating the credibility of alibi statements by Israeli police officers. The research involved 205 police officers who evaluated the credibility of alibi statements provided by suspects belonging to either the Israeli-Jewish or Israeli-Arab ethnic groups. The findings indicate that police officers were more inclined to believe the alibi when it was presented by a suspect from their own social group, thus supporting the presence of intergroup bias in assessments of alibi credibility. The implications of these findings, both practical and theoretical, are discussed.

The current study examined gender differences among Israeli Jews in attitudes and attribution of blame regarding workplace cyberbullying directed against Israeli Arabs. Three hundred and nineteen Jewish Israeli adults (65.3% female) participated in the study. The participants read a scenario with either a male or a female victim and rated the attribution of blame of the perpetrator and the victim, the severity of perpetration and the severity of punishment. ANCOVA indicated a significant main effect of observer gender and a significant interaction between participant gender and victim gender. Women perceived workplace cyberbullying as more severe, attributed more blame to the perpetrator, and were in favor of giving harsher punishments to the perpetrator, but this difference manifested only in cases of male victims. In female victim cases, there was no significant gender difference between the participants. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of gender differences in attitudes and blame attributions regarding workplace cyberbullying, specifically when the victim belongs to a minority group, and highlights the gender interplay of both participants and victims.

This study examines the assumption that aspects of fear of crime (fear of rape and sense of insecurity) predict fear of terrorism. The online survey included 754 Israeli respondents, who answered questions about their demographic characteristics, fear of terrorism, fear of crime indicators (fear of rape and sense of insecurity), locus of control (LOC; internal and external), and coping strategies. The findings indicate that for women, higher belief in chance and fate, and powerful others (external LOC), higher sense of insecurity, and higher fear of rape were related to a higher fear of terrorism. For men, higher belief in chance and fate (external LOC), higher sense of insecurity, and higher fear of rape were related to a higher fear of terrorism. Furthermore, the effect of fear of rape on fear of terrorism was mediated by sense of insecurity. Our findings support the assumption that fear of crime shadows and affects fear of terrorism for men as well as women. Therefore, fear of rape should be addressed as a significant issue for both genders.

The current study examined the influence of gender on perceived credibility in an international drug trafficking setting. Two hundred law students (approximately half female) assessed a suspect's credibility in a drug trafficking investigation. The participants read a transcript provided by either a male or a female suspect and rated a suspect as truthful/untruthful and their confidence level in this rating. The combined score represents credibility judgement. ANCOVA indicated a significant main effect of participant gender and a significant interaction between participant gender and suspect gender. Men considered the suspect as more credible than women, but this difference manifested only in the case of a male suspect. In the case of a female suspect, there was no significant gender difference between the participants. These findings highlight the dynamic interplay of the gender of both participants and suspects in the judgement bias field and are discussed in the context of defensive attribution theory. The applied implications address investigations, interrogations and other processes that surround them.

The study examined public perception in Israel of the severity of medical cannabis diversion, its morality, and normativeness. The sample included 380 participants who completed a quantitative questionnaire to respond to four scenarios about diverting medical cannabis to a person with/without a license and with/without a small payment (a 2×2 design). The findings show that although the participants received advance information about the severity of medical cannabis diversion as a drug trafficking offense, they perceived the severity of the offense as moderate, and as an act that is at least moderately moral and normative. The findings are explained based on moral theories. We discuss the implications of the findings in relation to the gap between public attitudes and legal policy.

This article investigated whether perceived threat is related to justifying intergroup violence based on integrated threat theory. Israeli-Jewish participants (n = 236) answered questions on perceived Israeli-Arab threat, frustration leading to aggression, and intergroup violence justification. The findings indicate that there is a significant correlation between perceived realistic threat and intergroup violence justification, whereas no significant correlation was found between frustration leading to aggression and intergroup violence justification. These results suggest the need to better understand intergroup conflicts in the field of international relations.

The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the level of justification of intergroup violence from the perspective of Israeli Arab minority group (n=196). The study analyzed the link between threat perception and justification of intergroup violence in Israel, which presents a suitable setting due to ongoing conflict between Arabs and Jews. Results indicate that symbolic threat is more salient among Israeli Arab participants compared to realistic threat. The study also found that females tended to perceive violence committed by Arabs against Israeli Jews as more justified than males suggesting that women are more prone to frustration due to intersectionality, leading to violence. In addition, a strong correlation between a person's support of the idea that frustration led to intergroup violence and their justification of such violence was found, supporting some of the frustration-aggression hypothesis. Results emphasize the need to emphasize understanding intergroup conflicts in international relations.

To explore the interrelationship between terrorist acts, terrorist ethnicity, and observer gender and cultural background in Israel, we recruited 211 participants aged 19–75 years. The majority were male (63%). As for the ethnic and religious cultural background, 40% were Jewish, 40% Druze, and 20% Muslim. The participants answered questions about their demographic characteristics, read three scenarios of terrorist acts, addressed attitudes toward terrorists, and suggested the length of imprisonment. We manipulated the type of act (shooting and killing/burning religious institutions/throwing stones at cars) and terrorist ethnicity (Arab/ Jewish). The results indicate significant main effects of the manipulated variables regarding attitudes toward terrorists. Also, Muslim Arab participants expressed more negative attitudes in cases of Jewish terrorists than Arab terrorists, whereas Jewish participants expressed more negative attitudes toward Arab terrorists than Jewish terrorists. Druze participants did not differentiate between Arab and Jewish terrorists. Furthermore, in cases of Arab perpetrators, Jewish participants suggested imprisonment terms 2.4 times longer than in cases of Jewish perpetrators. The discussion addresses the findings in the context of social identity theory and dual social identification. Regarding practical implications, the findings imply the need for education and training on ethnic bias among policymakers and practitioners.