Professor Matthew Hornsey
Professor

Matthew Hornsey

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 31218

Background

Supported by over 20 external grants - including an ARC Laureate - I am known for developing insights around three themes: (1) rejection of science and technology, (2) pro-environmental behaviour, and (3) intergroup relations. In each domain I have developed unique models designed to understand the logic behind supposedly “irrational” behaviour, and used them to facilitate attitude and behaviour change. My most recent work focuses on understanding (and reducing) people’s motivations to reject scientific consensus, including the psychology of climate inaction. Matthew is currently leading the Net Zero Observatory at the University of Queensland, a multi-disciplinary group of academics and practitioners who design strategies to accelerate industry action and community support for rapid decarbonisation.

Availability

Professor Matthew Hornsey is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Communication and media studies Psychology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Arts, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Rejection of science

    I examine the psychological motivations for people to reject scientific consensus, with a particular emphasis on the psychology of climate change skepticism and vaccine hesitancy.

  • Prejudice and intergroup relations

    I examine the psychology of why hostility emerges between nations, religions, ideologies etc. I then use these insights to examine what can be done to ease intergroup tensions.

  • Conspiracy theories

    I examine why people believe in conspiracy theories, the consequences of conspiracy theories, and strategies for reducing their negative impacts

Search Professor Matthew Hornsey’s works on UQ eSpace

244 works between 1998 and 2025
All (244) Journal Article (204) Book Chapter (16) Conference Publication (18) Book (4) Other Outputs (2)

241 - 244 of 244 works

2000

Conference Publication

It's OK if we say it, but you can't: Responses to intragroup and intergroup critisism

Hornsey, M. J. and Oppes, T. (2000). It's OK if we say it, but you can't: Responses to intragroup and intergroup critisism. 5th Annual Meeting of the Society of Australasian Social Psychologists, Fremantle, 27-30 April 2000. Melbourne: Australian Psychological Society.

It's OK if we say it, but you can't: Responses to intragroup and intergroup critisism

2000

Journal Article

Intergroup similarity and subgroup relations: Some implications for assimilation

Hornsey, MJ and Hogg, MA (2000). Intergroup similarity and subgroup relations: Some implications for assimilation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26 (8), 948-958. doi: 10.1177/01461672002610005

Intergroup similarity and subgroup relations: Some implications for assimilation

1999

Journal Article

Subgroup differentiation as a response to an overly-inclusive group: A test of optimal distinctiveness theory

Hornsey, MJ and Hogg, MA (1999). Subgroup differentiation as a response to an overly-inclusive group: A test of optimal distinctiveness theory. European Journal of Social Psychology, 29 (4), 543-550. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-0992(199906)29:43.0.CO;2-A

Subgroup differentiation as a response to an overly-inclusive group: A test of optimal distinctiveness theory

1998

Journal Article

The impact of interpersonal and intergroup communication accommodation on perceptions of Chinese students in Australia

Hornsey, M. and Gallois, C. (1998). The impact of interpersonal and intergroup communication accommodation on perceptions of Chinese students in Australia. Journal of Language And Social Psychology, 17 (3), 323-347. doi: 10.1177/0261927X9801700303

The impact of interpersonal and intergroup communication accommodation on perceptions of Chinese students in Australia

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2029
    Understanding and overcoming community roadblocks to achieving net-zero
    ARC Australian Laureate Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Mapping the psychology of accent-based discrimination
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Visualising humanitarian crises: transforming images and aid policy
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    The psychology of understanding and reducing conspiracy beliefs
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Understanding and overcoming public rejection of scientific innovation
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Behind a moral shield: Responses to trust breaches in mission-based groups
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Trust breaches in the not-for-profit sector: Causes, consequences and solutions
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund - Seed Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Understanding (and responding to) scepticism about science
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Identifying and resolving challenges to the effectiveness of collective apologies (ARC Discovery Project administered by Flinders University)
    Flinders University
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Sending and responding to messages about climate change: The role of emotion and morality
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012
    UQ Category 1 Travel Award - Geoff MacDonald
    UQ Travel Awards for International Collaborative Research (Category 1)
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Promoting intergroup forgiveness: The benefits and pitfalls of apologies and invocations of shared humanity
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Emotional and political reactions to representations of terrorism
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2009
    UQ Travel Awards Category 1, Dr Michael Wohl
    UQ Travel Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2015
    Rebuilding Government Legitimacy in Post-Conflict Societies: Case Studies of Nepal and Afghanistan/ Rebuilding institutional legitimacy in post-conflict societies: An Asia-Pacific Case Study, Phase 1A
    United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    Negotiating the minefield: social conventions surrounding group criticism and their role in explaining defensiveness
    ARC Linkage International
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    The bitter pill: The psychology of giving and taking interpersonal criticism
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards - DVC(R) Funding
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    What people say and do in response to negative feedback: Explaining and reducing defensiveness toward individual and group criticism
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2008
    Exploring The Link Between Group Processes And Outcomes Of Group Psychotherapy
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2006
    ESEG_Using group processes to predict outcomes of group cognitive behaviour therapy
    UQ External Support Enabling Grant
    Open grant
  • 2005
    Using group processes to predict outcomes of group cognitive behaviour therapy
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2004
    Linking group processes and outcomes in group cognitive behaviour therapy
    UQ External Support Enabling Grant
    Open grant
  • 2004 - 2006
    Understanding and reducing defensiveness in the face of group criticism
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2003
    Understanding and reducing sensitivity to group criticism: The role of identity, trust, and loyalty
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2001
    Understanding and reducing sensitivity to intergroup and intragroup criticism.
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2000
    The role of group prototypicality in intergroup discrimination
    ARC Australian Research Council (Small grants)
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Matthew Hornsey is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Public Perceptions of Climate Change Protests

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Michael Thai

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The impact of applying traditional intelligence techniques to complex business problems

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Justin Brienza

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The impact of applying traditional intelligence techniques to complex business problems

    Principal Advisor

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Matthew Hornsey directly for media enquiries about:

  • anti-science beliefs
  • climate change skepticism

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au