Prof. Mario Mikulincer

Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University

Founding Dean, Head of the Phd program in Psychology, former Provost

Research and Teaching Expertise

  • Mario Mikulincer, PhD (Bar-Ilan University, 1985), is Professor of Psychology at Reichman University. He has published over 400 articles and book chapters, authored two books and edited seven books on topics related to theory and research in attachment, terror management theory, emotional regulation, post-traumatic processes, and coping with stress situations. He served as Bar-Ilan University's Head of the Department of Psychology (1994-1995), Head of the Interdisciplinary Studies Unit (2001-2004) and Dean of the University's Regional Colleges (2004-2006). In 2007, he founded the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya and served as dean of the school until 2014. He served as Vice President of Academic Affairs from 2014 to 2017. Prof. Mikulincer serves as editor of several leading journals in the field of personality and social psychology, and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (2010 In 2015.) In 2004, Mikulincer received the EMET Social Sciences Award for his contribution to the study of psychology.
  • Mikulincer, M., Kedem, P., & Paz, D. (1990). The impact of trait anxiety and situational stress on the categorization of natural objects. Anxiety Research, 2, 85-101.


    Mikulincer, M., Kedem, P., & Paz, D. (1990). Anxiety and categorization: 1. The structure and boundaries of mental categories. Personality and Individual Differences, 11, 805-814.


    Mikulincer, M., Paz, D., & Kedem, P. (1990). Anxiety and categorization: 2. Hierarchical levels of mental categories. Personality and Individual Differences, 11, 815-821.


    Mikulincer, M., & Segal, J. (1990). A multidimensional analysis of the experience of loneliness. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 7, 209-230.


    Babkoff, H., Caspy, T., Mikulincer, M., & Sing, H. (1991). Monotonic and rhythmic influences: A challenge for sleep deprivation research. Psychological Bulletin, 109, 411-428.


    Mikulincer, M., Bizman, A., & Aizenberg, R. (1991). An attributional analysis of social-comparison jealousy. Motivation and Emotion, 13, 235-258.


    Mikulincer, M., & Erev, I. (1991). Attachment style and the structure of romantic love. British Journal of Social Psychology, 30, 273-291.


    Mikulincer, M., Glaubman, H., Ben-Artzi, E., & Grossman, S. (1991). The cognitive specificity of learned helplessness and depression deficits: The role of self-focused cognitions. Anxiety Research, 3, 273-290.


    Mikulincer, M., & Marshand, O. (1991). An excuse perspective of the learned helplessness paradigm: The self-protective role of causal attribution. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 10, 134-151.


    Mikulincer, M., & Nachshon, O. (1991). Attachment styles and patterns of self-disclosure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 321-332.


    Mikulincer, M., & Peer-Golding, I. (1991). Self-congruence and the experience of happiness. British Journal of Psychology, 30, 21-35.


    Mikulincer, M., & Segal, J. (1991). Loneliness and the desire for intimacy: The intervening role of locus of control. Personality and Individual Differences, 12, 801-809.


    Mikulincer, M., Yinon, A., & Kabili, D. (1991). Epistemic needs and learned helplessness. European Journal of Personality, 5, 249-258.


    Mikulincer, M., Florian, V., & Weller, A. (1993). Attachment styles, coping strategies, and post-traumatic psychological distress: The impact of the Gulf War in Israel. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64, 817-826.


    Mikulincer, M., Weller, A., & Florian, V. (1993). Sense of closeness to parents and family rules: A study of Arab and Jewish youth in Israel. International Journal of Psychology, 28, 323-335.


    Waysman, M., Mikulincer, M., Solomon, Z., & Weisenberg, M. (1993). Secondary traumatization among wives of post-traumatic combat veterans: A family typology. Journal of Family Psychology, 7, 104-118.


    Florian, V., Mikulincer, M., & Taubman, O. (1995). Do hardiness contribute to mental health duringa stressful real-life situation: The roles of appraisal and coping. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68, 687-695.


    Mikulincer, M. (1995). Attachment style and the mental representation of the self. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 1203-1215.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1995). Stress, coping, and fear of personal death: The case of middle-age men facing early job retirement. Death Studies, 19, 413-431.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1995). Appraisal and coping with a real-life stressful situation: The contribution of attachment styles. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21, 408-416.


    Mikulincer, M., Florian, V., & Solomon, Z. (1995). Marital Intimacy, Family Support, and Secondary Traumatization: A Study of Wives of Veterans with Combat Stress Reaction. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 8, 203-213.


    Mikulincer, M., & Orbach, I. (1995). Attachment styles and repressive defensiveness: The accessibility and architecture of affective memories. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68, 917-925.


    Florian, V., & Mikulincer, M. (1997). Fear of death and the judgment of social transgressions: A multidimensional test of terror management theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 369-380.


    Mikulincer, M. (1997). Adult attachment style and information processing: Individual differences in curisosity and cognitive closure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 1217-1230.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1997). A cognitive-relational approach to emotions -- The appraisal and coping components of sadness, shame, guilt, jealousy, and disgust. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 16, 263-279.


    Mikulincer, M.,  & Florian, V. (1997). Are emotional and instrumental supportive interactions beneficial in times of stress? The impact of attachment style. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 10, 109-127.


    Orbach, I., Mikulincer, M., King, R., Cohen, D., Stein, D., & Apter, A. (1997). Thresholds and tolerance of physical pain in suicidal and nonsuicidal patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 646-652.


    Budner, E., & Mikulincer, M. (1998). Learned helplessness and the occurrence of depressive-like and paranoid-like responses: The role of attentional focus. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1010-1023.


    Florian, V., & Mikulincer, M. (1998). Symbolic immortality and the management of the terror of death -- The moderating role of attachment style. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 725-734. 


    Florian, V., & Mikulincer, M. (1998). Terror management in childhood: Does death conceptualization moderate the effects of mortality salience on acceptance of similar and different others? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 24, 1104-1112.


    Mikulincer, M. (1998). Adult attachment style and individual differences in functional versus dysfunctional experiences of anger. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 513-524.


    Mikulincer, M. (1998). Attachment working models and the sense of trust: An exploration of interaction goals and affect regulation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1209-1224.


    Mikulincer, M. (1998). Adult attachment style and affect regulation: Strategic variations in self-appraisals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 420-435.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1998). The relationship between adult attachment styles and emotional and cognitive reactions to stressful events. In Simpson, J., & Rholes, S. (eds.,) Attachment theory and close relationships (pp. 143-165). New York: Guilford.


    Mikulincer, M., Horesh, N., Levy-Shiff, R., Manovich, R., & Shalev, J. (1998). The contribution of adult attachment style to the adjustment to infertility. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 71, 265-280.


    Mikulincer, M, Orbach, I., & Iavnieli, D. (1998). Adult attachment style and affect regulation: Strategic variations in subjective self-other similarity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 436-448.


    Orbach, I., & Mikulincer, M. (1998). The body investment scale: Construction and validation of a body experiences scale. Psychological Assessment, 10, 415-425.


    Orbach, I., Mikulincer, M., Stein, D., & Cohen, O. (1998). Self-representations of suicidal adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 107, 435-439.


    Mikulincer, M., & Arad, D. (1999). Attachment working models and cognitive openness in close relationships: A test of chronic and temporary accessibility effects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 710-725.


    Mikulincer, M. & Florian, V. (1999). The association between spouses’ self-reports of attachment styles and representations of family dynamics. Family Process, 38, 69-83.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1999). The association between parental reports of attachment style and family dynamics and offspring’s reports of adult attachment style. Family Process, 38, 243-257.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1999). Maternal-fetal bonding, coping strategies, and mental health during pregnancy – The contribution of attachment style. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 18, 255-276.


    Mikulincer, M., & Horesh, N. (1999). Adult attachment style and the perception of others – The role of projective mechanisms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 1022-1034.


    Mikulincer, M., Horesh, N., Eilati, I., & Kotler, M. (1999). The association between adult attachment style and mental health in extreme life endangering conditions. Personality and Individual Differences, 27, 831-842.


    Taubman Ben-Ari, O., Florian, V., & Mikulincer, M. (1999). The impact of mortality salience on reckless driving – A test of terror management mechanisms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 35-45.


    Mikulincer, M., Birnbaum, G., Woddis, D., & Nachmias, O. (2000). Stress and accessibility of proximity-related thoughts: Exploring the normative and intraindividual components of attachment theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 509-523.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (2000). Exploring individual differences in reactions to mortality salience – Does attachment style regulate terror management mechanisms? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 260-273.


    Mikulincer, M., & Sheffi, E. (2000). Adult attachment style and cognitive reactions to positive affect: A test of mental categorization and creative problem solving. Motivation and Emotion, 24, 149-174.


    Berant, E., Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (2001). Attachment style and mental health: A one-year follow-up study of mothers of infants with congenital heart disease. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8, 956-968.


    Florian, V., Mikulincer, M., & Hirschberger, G. (2001). Validation of personal identity as a terror management mechanism – Evidence that sex-role identity moderates mortality salience effects. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8, 1011-1022.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (2001). Attachment style and affect regulation – Implications for coping with stress and mental health. In Fletcher, G., & Clark, M. (eds.), Blackwell handbook of social psychology: Interpersonal Processes (pp. 537-557). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers


    Mikulincer, M., Gillath, O., Halevy, V., Avihou, N, Avidan, S., & Eshkoli, N. (2001). Attachment theory and reactions to others’ needs: Evidence that activation of the sense of attachment security promotes empathic responses. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 1205-1224.


    Mikulincer, M., Hirschberger, G., Nachmias, O., & Gillath, O. (2001). The Affective Component of the Secure Base Schema: Affective Priming with Representations of Attachment Security. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 305-321.


    Mikulincer, M., & Selinger, M. (2001). The interplay between attachment and affiliation systems in adolescents’ same-sex friendship: The role of attachment style. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 18, 81-106.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2001). Attachment theory and intergroup bias: Evidence that priming the secure base schema attenuates negative reactions to out-groups. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 97-115.


    Florian, V., Mikulincer, M., & Hirschberger, G. (2002). The anxiety buffering function of close relationships: Evidence that relationship commitment acts as a terror management mechanism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 527-542.


    Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (2002). The effects of mortality salience on self-serving attributions – Evidence for the function of self-esteem as a terror management mechanism. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 24, 261-272.


    Mikulincer, M., Florian, V., Birnbaum, G., & Malishkevich, S. (2002). The death-anxiety buffering function of close relationships: Exploring the effects of separation reminders on death-thought accessibility. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 287-299.


    Mikulincer, M., Florian, V., Cowan, P. A., & Cowan, C. P. (2002). Attachment security in couple relationships – A systemic model and its implications for family dynamics. Family Process, 41, 405-434.


    Mikulincer, M., Gillath, O., & Shaver, P. R. (2002). Activation of the attachment system in adulthood: Threat-related primes increase the accessibility of mental representations of attachment figures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83, 881-895.


    Mikulincer, M., Florian, V., & Hirschberger, G. (2003). The existential function of close relationships – Introducing death into the science of love. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 7, 20-40.


    Mikulincer, M., Gillath, O., Sapir-Lavid, Y., Yaakobi, E., Arias, K., Tal-Aloni, L., & Bor, G. (2003). Attachment theory and concern for others’ welfare: Evidence that activation of the sense of secure base promotes endorsement of self-transcendence values. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 25, 299-312.


    Mikulincer, M, & Shaver, P. R. (2003). The Attachment behavioral system in adulthood: activation, psychodynamics, and interpersonal processes. In M. P. Zanna (ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol. 35, pp. 53-152). New York: Academic Press.


    Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., & Pereg, D. (2003). Attachment Theory and Affect Regulation: The Dynamics, Development, and Cognitive Consequences of Attachment-Related Strategies. Motivation and Emotion, 27, 77-102.


    Rom, E., & Mikulincer, M. (2003). Attachment theory and group processes: The association between attachment style and group-related representations, goals, memories, and functioning. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 1220-1235.


    Mikulincer, M., Dolev, T., & Shaver, P. R. (2004). Attachment-Related Strategies During Thought-Suppression: Ironic Rebounds and Vulnerable Self-Representations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 940-956.


    Mikulincer, M., Florian, V., & Hirschberger, G. (2004). The terror of death and the quest for love – An existential perspective on close relationships. In J. Greenberg, S. L. Koole, & T. Pyszczynski (eds.), Handbook of Experimental Existential Psychology (pp. 287-304). New York: Guilford.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2004). Security-based self-representations in adulthood: Contents and processes. In W. S. Rholes & J. A. Simpson (eds.), Adult attachment: Theory, research, and clinical implications (pp. 159-195). New York: Guilford Press.


    Pereg, D., & Mikulincer, M. (2004). Attachment style and the regulation of negative affect – Exploring individual differences in mood congruency effects on memory and judgment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 67-80.


    Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2004). What do self-report attachment measures assess?  In W. S. Rholes & J. A. Simpson (eds.), Adult attachment: Theory, research, and clinical implications (pp. 17-54). New York: Guilford Press.


    Banai, E., Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P .R. (2005). ‘Selfobject’ needs in Kohut’s self-psychology: Links with Attachment, Self-Cohesion, Affect Regulation, and Adjustment. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 22, 224-260.


    Berant, E., Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., & Segal, Y. (2005). Rorschach Correlates of Self-Reported Attachment Dimensions: Dynamic Manifestations of Hyperactivating and Deactivating Strategies. Journal of Personality Assessment, 84, 70-81.


    Gillath, O., Bunge, S. A., Shaver, P. R., Wendelken, C., & Mikulincer, M. (2005). Attachment-style differences in the ability to suppress negative thoughts: Exploring the neural correlates. Neuroimage, 28, 835-847.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2005). Mental representations of attachment security: Theoretical foundation for a positive social psychology. In M. W. Baldwin (ed.), Interpersonal Cognition (pp. 233-266). New York: Guilford Press.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2005). Attachment security, compassion, and altruism. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14,34-38.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2005). Attachment theory and emotions in close relationships: Exploring the attachment-related dynamics of emotional reactions to relational events. Personal Relationships, 12, 149-168.


    Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P .R., Gillath, O., & Nitzberg, R. A. (2005). Attachment, Caregiving, and Altruism: Boosting Attachment Security Increases Compassion and Helping. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89, 817-839. 


    Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2005). Attachment Theory and Research: Resurrection of the Psychodynamic Approach to Personality. Journal of Research in Personality, 39, 22-45.


    Shaver, P. R., Schachner, D. A., & Mikulincer, M. (2005). Attachment style, excessive reassurance seeking, relationship processes, and depression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31, 1-17.


    Solomon, Z., Schklar, R., & Mikulincer, M. (2005). Front line treatment of combat stress reaction: A 20-year longitudinal study. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 162, 2309-2314.


    Birnbaum, G. E., Reis, H. T., Mikulincer, M., Gillath, O., & Orpaz, A. (2006). When sex is more than just sex: Attachment orientations, sexual experience, and relationship quality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 929-943.


    Gillath, O., Mikulincer, M., Fitzsimons, G. M., Shaver, P. R., Schachner, D. A., & Bargh, J. A. (2006). Automatic Activation of Attachment-Related Goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 1375-1388.


    Mikulincer, M. (2006). Attachment, caregiving, and sex within romantic relationships: A behavioral systems perspective. In M. Mikulincer & G. S. Goodman (eds.), Dynamics of romantic love (pp. 23-44). New York: Guilford Press.


    Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., & Horesh, N. (2006). Attachment bases of emotion regulation and posttraumatic adjustment. In D. K. Snyder, J. A. Simpson, & J. N. Hughes (eds.), Emotion regulation in families: Pathways to dysfunction and health (pp. 77-99). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.


    Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., & Slav, K. (2006). Attachment, mental representations of others, and interpersonal gratitude and forgiveness within romantic relationships. In M. Mikulincer & G. S. Goodman (eds.), Dynamics of romantic love (pp. 190-215). New York: Guilford Press.


    Solomon, Z., & Mikulincer, M. (2006). Trajectories of PTSD: A 20-year longitudinal study. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 163, 659-666.


    Davidovitz, R., Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., Ijzak, R., & Popper. M. (2007). Leaders as attachment figures: Their attachment orientations predict leadership-related mental representations and followers’ performance and mental health. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93, 632-650.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Attachment, group-related processes, and psychotherapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 57, 233-245.


    Mikulincer, M. & Shaver, P. R. (2007). A behavioral systems perspective on the psychodynamics of attachment and sexuality. In D. Diamond, S. J. Blatt, & J. D. Lichtenberg (eds.), Attachment and sexuality (pp. 51-78). New York: The Analytic Press.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Boosting attachment security to promote mental health, prosocial values, and inter-group tolerance. Psychological Inquiry18, 139-156.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Reflections on security dynamics: Core constructs, psychological mechanisms, relational contexts, and the need for an integrative theory. Psychological Inquiry, 18, 197-209.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Contributions of attachment theory and research to motivation science. In J. Shah & W. Gardner (Eds.), Handbook of motivation science (pp. 201-216). New York: Guilford Press.


    Solomon, Z., & Mikulincer, M. (2007). Posttraumatic intrusion, avoidance, and social functioning: A 20-year longitudinal study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75, 316-324.


    Berant, E., Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2008). Mothers’ Attachment style, their mental health, and their children’s emotional vulnerabilities: A seven-year study of children with congenital heart disease. Journal of Personality, 76, 31-66.


    Gillath, O., Mikulincer, M., Birnbaum, G. E., & Shaver, P. R. (2008). When Sex Primes Love: Subliminal Sexual Priming Motivates Relational Goal Pursuit. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34. 1057-1069.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2008). An attachment perspective on bereavement. In M. Stroebe, R. O. Hansson, H. A. W. Schut, & W. Stroebe (Eds.), Handbook of bereavement research and practice: 21st century perspectives (pp. 87-110). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2008). Adult attachment and affect regulation. In J. Cassidy & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications (2nd Ed., pp. 503-531). New York: Guilford Press.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2008). A behavioral systems perspective on romantic love. Neuro-Psychoanalysis, 10, 154-165.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2008). "Can't buy me love": An attachment perspective on social support and money as psychological buffers. Psychological Inquiry, 19, 167-173.


    Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., Cassidy, J., & Berant, E. (2008). Attachment-related defensive processes. In J. H. Obegi & E. Berant (Eds.), Clinical Applications of Adult Attachment (pp. 293-327). New York: Guilford Press.


    Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., & Gillath, O. (2008). A behavioral systems perspective on compassionate love. In L. Underwood, S. Sprecher, & B. Fehr (Eds.), The science of compassionate love: Research, theory, and application (pp. 225-256). Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2009). An attachment and behavioral-system perspective on social support. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 26, 7-19.


    Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2009). Does gratitude promote prosocial behavior? The moderating role of attachment security. In M. Mikulincer & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Prosocial motives, emotions, and behavior – The better angels of our nature (pp. 267-284). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.


    Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., Sapir-Lavid, Y., & Avihou-Kanza, N. (2009). What’s inside the minds of securely and insecurely attached people? The secure-base script and its associations with attachment-style dimensions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97, 615-633.


    Ein-Dor, T., Mikulincer, M., Doron, G., & Shaver, P. R. (2010). The attachment paradox: How can so many of us (the insecure ones) have no adaptive advantages? Perspectives in Psychological Science.


    Granqvist, P., Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2010). Religion as attachment:  Normative processes and individual differences. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14, 49-60.


    Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., Bar-On, N., & Ein-Dor, T. (2010). The Pushes and Pulls of Close Relationships: Attachment Insecurities and Relational Ambivalence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98, 450-468.


    Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2010). Mind-behavior relations in attachment theory and research. In C. R. Agnew, D. E. Carlston, W. G. Graziano, & J. R. Kelly (Eds.), Then a miracle occurs: Focusing on behavior in social psychological theory and research (pp. 342-367). New York: Oxford University Press.