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Mattan S. Ben-Shachar, PhD
As a freelance research analyst and statistical consultant specializing in the social sciences, I offer comprehensive guidance throughout all stages of the research process, having provided support and consultation in these areas to numerous researchers, across several institutions. Holding a PhD in neurocognitive psychology from Ben-Gurion University, I am deeply rooted in theoretical and applied statistics, and am committed to the principles of data analysis, inferential statistics, and reproducible research.
Concurrently, I am a statistics educator at both Ben-Gurion University and Tel-Aviv University, teaching bachelor- and graduate-level statistics, research methods, and R programming, ranging from introductory statistics to applied machine learning. I supplement my goal of making statistics more accessible as an active R developer, creating tools that aid in understanding statistical models.
Education
Ph.D. in Psychology
Ben-Gurion University
Be’er Sheva, Israel
2023
Title: The Electrophysiological Basis of Processing Speed
(Download dissertation (pdf) | Audio overview )
Supervisor: Prof. Andrea Berger
M.A. in Experimental Cognitive Psychology
Ben-Gurion University
Be’er Sheva, Israel
2017
Title: Electrophysiological Evidence for the Role of Processing Speed and Attentional Control in Visual Recognition Tasks.
Supervisor: Prof. Andrea Berger
B.A. in Behavioral Sciences
Ben-Gurion University
Be’er Sheva, Israel
2015
Graduated Magna Cum Laude
Professional Experience
Statistical Consultant & Research Analyst
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Since 2016
I am deeply rooted in theoretical and applied statistics, and am committed to the principles of data analysis, inferential statistics, and reproducible research, while also mindful of the practical needs of researchers and academics. I provide guidance throughout all stages of the research process and decision-guided statistical analyses. I specialize in the following methods:
- Generalized linear models (regression, AN(C)OVA)
- Generalized mixed effects models (HLM, LMM)
- Missing data analysis and treatment
- Structural equation modeling (SEM)
- Factor analysis and clustering
- Bayesian modeling and inference
- Nonlinear models (NLM)
For more info and client testimonials, see my home page.
Statistics Lecturer
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Since 2015
My teaching and instructing are focused on undergraduate- and graduate-level statistics, research methods, and R programming. Over the last 10 years I have taught over 1,560 undergraduate students and over 830 graduate students across over a dozen courses. See Teaching Experience section.
R Developer
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Since 2016
Core developer of the easystats eco-system of packages – an award-winning collection of R packages, which aims to provide a unifying and consistent framework to tame, discipline and harness the scary R statistics and their pesky models (e.g., parameters, performance, and more).
- Developer and maintainer of effectsize for
estimating indices of effect size and standardized parameters.
- Developer of bayestestR, a package for describing and testing posterior distributions and Bayesian models.
See my full github profile.
Neurocognitive Researcher
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2015 - 2022
My research focused on differential cognitive psychology using behavioral and physiological methods, occasionally collaborating with international research groups. I have experience designing computerized tasks that evoke individual differences in an array of cognitive abilities. I have also led and managed research projects, including teams of graduate students and research assistants.
Neurophysiological Signal Processing: I have collected and analyzed multi-channel electroencephalography (EEG) data using eeglab. My experience with signal pre-processing includes noise “cleaning” methods as well as dimension reduction tools (PCA, ICA); I specialize in latency measurement of event-related potentials (ERPs).
MITAM Exam Developer
National Institute for Testing and Evaluation
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Since 2020
I am a developer and reviewer of the MITAM exam (entrance test for advanced degrees in psychology - equivalent to the GRE).
Teaching Experience
Lecturer & Teaching Fellow
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Since 2018
* Denotes upcoming courses.
School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University
Graduate level courses:
- Data Science Lab for Psychologists (Annually, since 2023)
- Hierarchical Models (Annually, since 2023)
Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University
Graduate level courses:
- Hierarchical Linear Models (Biannually, since 2022)
- Machine Learning for Psychologists (Annually, since 2022)
- Essential Data Science Skills (Annually, since 2022)
- Practical applications in R (Fall 2019–2021)
- Structural equation modelling in R (Spring 2020–2021)
- Analysis of factorial designs in R (Spring 2019)
Under-graduate level courses:
- Regression and Multi-Variables Analysis (Fall 2022–2023)
- Experimental Psychology (Fall 2018)
Statistics and Data Program, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Under-graduate level courses:
- Introduction to Data Science (Annually, since 2023)
- Bayesian Statistics and Modeling (Annually, since 2023)
School of Cognitive Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Under-graduate level courses:
- Inferential Statistics for Cognitive Sciences (Fall 2022)
Workshops
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- Bayesian Statistics: So Much More Than Just the Bayes factor. (2 days; Aug 2024)
- Evaluating Evidence and Making Decisions using Bayesian Statistics. Workshop at the The 8th Conference on Cognitive Research of the Israeli Society for Cognitive Psychology, Israel.
Traveling workshops:
- Pre-Processing EEG Data (12h; Oct-Nov 2020, Jan-Feb 2020)
- Intro to the R Programming Language (7h; Jan 2021)
- Trends in Open Science (2h; Nov 2019, May 2019, Dec 2018)
- ANOVA and Contrasts in R (2h; May 2018)
Teaching Assistant & Instructor
Ben-Gurion University
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2015 - 2018
Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University
Under-graduate level courses:
- Experimental Psychology (Fall 2017; Summer 2017)
- Inferential Statistics (Spring 2017–2018)
- Introduction to Statistics (Fall 2015)
Department of Health Systems Management
Graduate level courses:
- Research Seminar (for Graduate Students) (Fall 2016–2017)
Awards and Scholarships
SIPS Mission Award
Society for Improving Psychological Science (SIPS)
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2023
Awarded to the easystats project for improving the training and research practices of psychological scientists.
Full academic scholarship for graduate studies
Humanities and Social Sci Faculty, Ben-Gurion University
Be’er Sheva, Israel
2015 - 2022
Negev Mid-Way Scholarship
Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies
Be’er Sheva, Israel
2020 - 2021
SIPS Commendation
Society for Improving Psychological Science (SIPS)
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2020
Awarded to the bayestestR package for improving the training and research practices of psychological scientists.
M.H.R Publication Award
Humanities and Social Sci Faculty, Ben-Gurion University
Be’er Sheva, Israel
2020
For Ben-Shachar et al. (2020). DOI:10.1111/acer.14244
Erasmus+ EU Travel Grant
EU programme for education, training, youth and sport in Europe
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2018
Radboud Summer School Scholarship
Radboud University
Nijmegen, Netherlands
2018
Studied Linear Algebra for Neuroscience with Prof. Mike X. Cohen
Award for Academic Distinction
Dep. of Sociology and Anthropology, Ben-Gurion University
Be’er Sheva, Israel
2014
Selected Publications
h-index: 14
For a full list of publications, see my ORCID or Google Scholar profiles. Contact me a PDF of any of my publications.
In many of these works I was involved in the capacity of a statistical consultant or research analyst.
* Denotes equal contribution.
Peer Reviewed Publications
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- Ben-Shachar, M.S., & Berger, A. (2024). Visual-Spatial Abilities Are NOT Related to the Speed of Mental Rotation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. DOI:10.31234/osf.io/gkzxf
- Thériault, R., Ben-Shachar, M.S., Patil, I., Lüdecke, D., Wiernik, B. M., & Makowski, D. (2024). Check your outliers! An introduction to identifying statistical outliers in R with easystats. DOI:10.31234/osf.io/bu6nt
- Ben-Shachar, M.S., Patil, I., Thériault, R., Wiernik, B.M., Lüdecke, D. (2023). Phi, Fei, Fo, Fum: Effect Sizes for Categorical Data That Use the Chi‑Squared Statistic. Mathematics, 11, 1982. DOI:10.3390/math11091982
- Ben-Shachar, M.S., Lüdecke, D., & Makowski, D. (2020). effectsize: Estimation of Effect Size Indices and Standardized Parameters Aims of the Package. Journal of Open Source Software, 5(56), 2815. DOI:10.21105/joss.02815
- Ben-Shachar, M.S., Shmueli M., Meintjes, E.M., Molteno, C.D., Jacobson, J.L., Jacobson, S.W., & Berger A. (2020). Prenatal alcohol exposure alters error detection during simple arithmetic processing: An Electroencephalography study. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 44(1), 114-124. DOI:10.1111/acer.14244
- Makowski, D., Ben-Shachar, M.S., Chen, S.A., & Lüdecke, D. (2019). Indices of Effect Existence and Significance in the Bayesian Framework. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2767. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02767
Books and Book Chapters
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- Jané, M., Xiao, Q., Yeung, S., Ben-Shachar, M.S., … & Feldman, G. (2024). Guide to Effect Sizes and Confidence Intervals. https://matthewbjane.quarto.pub/
- Ben-Shachar, M.S., & Berger, A. (2018). An Introduction to Attention and Its Implication for Numerical Cognition. In A. Henik & W. Fias (Eds.), Heterogeneity of Function in Numerical Cognition (pp. 93-110). Academic Press. DOI:10.1016/B978-0-12-811529-9.00005-4
Misc.
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- Ben-Shachar, M.S.*, Lisson, S.*, Shotts-Peretz, D., Hannula-Sormunen, M., & Berger, A. (preprint). Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity Linked to Quantity Discrimination in Children and Adults. DOI:10.31234/osf.io/mt3n9