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)

61 - 80 of 244 works

2021

Journal Article

Why it is so hard to teach people they can make a difference: climate change efficacy as a non-analytic form of reasoning

Hornsey, Matthew J., Chapman, Cassandra M. and Oelrichs, Dexter M. (2021). Why it is so hard to teach people they can make a difference: climate change efficacy as a non-analytic form of reasoning. Thinking and Reasoning, 28 (3), 1-19. doi: 10.1080/13546783.2021.1893222

Why it is so hard to teach people they can make a difference: climate change efficacy as a non-analytic form of reasoning

2021

Journal Article

To what extent are conspiracy theorists concerned for self versus others? A COVID‐19 test case

Hornsey, Matthew J., Chapman, Cassandra M., Alvarez, Belen, Bentley, Sarah, Casara, Bruno Gabriel Salvador, Crimston, Charlie R., Ionescu, Octavia, Krug, Henning, Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Steffens, Niklas K. and Jetten, Jolanda (2021). To what extent are conspiracy theorists concerned for self versus others? A COVID‐19 test case. European Journal of Social Psychology, 51 (2) ejsp.2737, 285-293. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2737

To what extent are conspiracy theorists concerned for self versus others? A COVID‐19 test case

2021

Journal Article

Profiling Adopters (and Non-adopters) of a Contact Tracing Mobile Application: Insights from Australia

Lockey, Steven, Edwards, Martin R., Hornsey, Matthew J., Gillespie, Nicole, Akhlaghpour, Saeed and Colville, Shannon (2021). Profiling Adopters (and Non-adopters) of a Contact Tracing Mobile Application: Insights from Australia. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 149 104414, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104414

Profiling Adopters (and Non-adopters) of a Contact Tracing Mobile Application: Insights from Australia

2021

Journal Article

What does it mean to say that cultured meat is unnatural?

Wilks, Matti, Hornsey, Matthew and Bloom, Paul (2021). What does it mean to say that cultured meat is unnatural?. Appetite, 156 104960, 104960. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104960

What does it mean to say that cultured meat is unnatural?

2020

Journal Article

Why facts are not enough: understanding and managing the motivated rejection of science

Hornsey, Matthew J. (2020). Why facts are not enough: understanding and managing the motivated rejection of science. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 29 (6), 583-591. doi: 10.1177/0963721420969364

Why facts are not enough: understanding and managing the motivated rejection of science

2020

Journal Article

When Grades Are High but Self-Efficacy Is Low: Unpacking the Confidence Gap Between Girls and Boys in Mathematics

Zander, Lysann, Höhne, Elisabeth, Harms, Sophie, Pfost, Maximilian and Hornsey, Matthew J. (2020). When Grades Are High but Self-Efficacy Is Low: Unpacking the Confidence Gap Between Girls and Boys in Mathematics. Frontiers in Psychology, 11 552355, 1-14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.552355

When Grades Are High but Self-Efficacy Is Low: Unpacking the Confidence Gap Between Girls and Boys in Mathematics

2020

Journal Article

No global crisis of trust: a longitudinal and multinational examination of public trust in nonprofits

Chapman, Cassandra M., Hornsey, Matthew J. and Gillespie, Nicole (2020). No global crisis of trust: a longitudinal and multinational examination of public trust in nonprofits. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 50 (2), 089976402096222-457. doi: 10.1177/0899764020962221

No global crisis of trust: a longitudinal and multinational examination of public trust in nonprofits

2020

Journal Article

Vaccine hesitancy is strongly associated with distrust of conventional medicine, and only weakly associated with trust in alternative medicine

Hornsey, Matthew J., Lobera, Josep and Díaz-Catalán, Celia (2020). Vaccine hesitancy is strongly associated with distrust of conventional medicine, and only weakly associated with trust in alternative medicine. Social Science and Medicine, 255 113019, 113019. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113019

Vaccine hesitancy is strongly associated with distrust of conventional medicine, and only weakly associated with trust in alternative medicine

2020

Journal Article

You’re making us all look bad: sexism moderates women’s experience of collective threat and intra-gender hostility toward traditional and non-traditional female subtypes

Lizzio-Wilson, Morgana, Masser, Barbara M., Hornsey, Matthew J. and Iyer, Aarti (2020). You’re making us all look bad: sexism moderates women’s experience of collective threat and intra-gender hostility toward traditional and non-traditional female subtypes. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 24 (8), 1486-1514. doi: 10.1177/1368430220913610

You’re making us all look bad: sexism moderates women’s experience of collective threat and intra-gender hostility toward traditional and non-traditional female subtypes

2020

Journal Article

Donald Trump and vaccination: the effect of political identity, conspiracist ideation and presidential tweets on vaccine hesitancy

Hornsey, Matthew J., Finlayson, Matthew, Chatwood, Gabrielle and Begeny, Christopher T. (2020). Donald Trump and vaccination: the effect of political identity, conspiracist ideation and presidential tweets on vaccine hesitancy. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 88 103947, 103947. doi: 10.1016/j.jesp.2019.103947

Donald Trump and vaccination: the effect of political identity, conspiracist ideation and presidential tweets on vaccine hesitancy

2020

Journal Article

Discrepancies in East Asians’ perceived actual and ideal phenotypic facial features

Thai, Michael, Lee, Anthony J., Axt, Jordan R., Hornsey, Matthew J. and Barlow, Fiona Kate (2020). Discrepancies in East Asians’ perceived actual and ideal phenotypic facial features. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 11 (3), 117-125. doi: 10.1037/aap0000181

Discrepancies in East Asians’ perceived actual and ideal phenotypic facial features

2020

Journal Article

The moral disillusionment model of organizational transgressions: ethical transgressions trigger more negative reactions from consumers when committed by nonprofits

Hornsey, Matthew J., Chapman, Cassandra M., Mangan, Heidi, La Macchia, Stephen and Gillespie, Nicole (2020). The moral disillusionment model of organizational transgressions: ethical transgressions trigger more negative reactions from consumers when committed by nonprofits. Journal of Business Ethics, 172 (4), 653-671. doi: 10.1007/s10551-020-04492-7

The moral disillusionment model of organizational transgressions: ethical transgressions trigger more negative reactions from consumers when committed by nonprofits

2020

Journal Article

Flux in scepticism raises hopes

Hornsey, Matthew J. (2020). Flux in scepticism raises hopes. Nature Climate Change, 10 (4), 274-275. doi: 10.1038/s41558-020-0721-4

Flux in scepticism raises hopes

2020

Journal Article

Forever foreign? Asian Australians assimilating to Australian culture are still perceived as less Australian than White Australians

Thai, Michael, Szeszeran, Nicholas A., Hornsey, Matthew J. and Barlow, Fiona Kate (2020). Forever foreign? Asian Australians assimilating to Australian culture are still perceived as less Australian than White Australians. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 11 (6), 194855061987990-820. doi: 10.1177/1948550619879907

Forever foreign? Asian Australians assimilating to Australian culture are still perceived as less Australian than White Australians

2020

Journal Article

Using ingroup messengers and ingroup values to promote climate change policy

Fielding, Kelly S., Hornsey, Matthew J., Thai, Ha Anh and Toh, Li Li (2020). Using ingroup messengers and ingroup values to promote climate change policy. Climatic Change, 158 (2), 181-199. doi: 10.1007/s10584-019-02561-z

Using ingroup messengers and ingroup values to promote climate change policy

2019

Journal Article

Beliefs about gender predict faking orgasm in heterosexual women

Harris, Emily A., Hornsey, Matthew J., Larsen, Hannah F. and Barlow, Fiona Kate (2019). Beliefs about gender predict faking orgasm in heterosexual women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48 (8), 2419-2433. doi: 10.1007/s10508-019-01510-2

Beliefs about gender predict faking orgasm in heterosexual women

2019

Journal Article

Elevating nature: moral elevation increases feelings of connectedness to nature

Moreton, Sam G., Arena, Andrew, Hornsey, Matthew, Crimston, Charlie and Tiliopoulos, Niko (2019). Elevating nature: moral elevation increases feelings of connectedness to nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 65 101332, 101332. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.101332

Elevating nature: moral elevation increases feelings of connectedness to nature

2019

Journal Article

Embodied remorse: physical displays of remorse increase positive responses to public apologies, but have negligible effects on forgiveness

Hornsey, Matthew J., Wohl, Michael J. A., Harris, Emily A., Okimoto, Tyler G., Thai, Michael and Wenzel, Michael (2019). Embodied remorse: physical displays of remorse increase positive responses to public apologies, but have negligible effects on forgiveness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119 (2), 367-389. doi: 10.1037/pspi0000208

Embodied remorse: physical displays of remorse increase positive responses to public apologies, but have negligible effects on forgiveness

2019

Journal Article

Feeling hurt: revisiting the relationship between social and physical pain

Ferris, Laura J., Jetten, Jolanda, Hornsey, Matthew J. and Bastian, Brock (2019). Feeling hurt: revisiting the relationship between social and physical pain. Review of General Psychology, 23 (3), 320-335. doi: 10.1177/1089268019857936

Feeling hurt: revisiting the relationship between social and physical pain

2019

Journal Article

Testing potential psychological predictors of attitudes towards cultured meat

Wilks, Matti, Phillips, Clive J.C., Fielding, Kelly and Hornsey, Matthew J. (2019). Testing potential psychological predictors of attitudes towards cultured meat. Appetite, 136, 137-145. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.01.027

Testing potential psychological predictors of attitudes towards cultured meat

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

    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

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Public Perceptions of Climate Change Protests

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Michael Thai

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