Professor Robert Johns
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Email
rajohn@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 872508
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Location
5.021, Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
Autumn term 2022: Tuesday 12.30-13.30, Friday 09.30-10.30.
Profile
Biography
Rob Johns is Professor in Politics. He arrived at Essex in October 2010 having previously worked in the Department of Government at the University of Strathclyde. His teaching and research are in the fields of political psychology (especially the nature and origins of public opinion), electoral behaviour and questionnaire design. Rob is a Principal Investigator on the 2021 Scottish Election Study and has worked on a number of other major survey projects. Rob would be happy to supervise students whose research also falls in the broad field of public opinion.
Qualifications
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BA Oxford
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MA PhD Essex
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Political psychology
public opinion
survey experiments
Current research
Recruited by referendum: Understanding the party membership surge in Scotland (ESRC award ES/N105090/1) (with Lynn Bennie and James Mitchell, Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh)
More moderate equals more competent: Ideological position and valence judgements (BA/Leverhulme award SG163176) (with Ann-Kristin Koelln, Aarhus University)
Scottish Election Study, 2016 (ESRC award ES/N018060/1) (with Ailsa Henderson, James Mitchell and Chris Carman (Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow)
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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The Psychology of Politics (GV505)
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Essex Challenge Project (GV830)
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Political Psychology (GV928)
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Doctoral Research Seminar in Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties (GV975)
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MA Dissertation (GV993)
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MRES Dissertation (GV995)
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 10/5/2023
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 2/3/2023
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 22/12/2022
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 4/5/2021
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 16/6/2020
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 10/10/2019
Degree subject: Human Rights
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 22/5/2019
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 2/7/2018
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 17/1/2018
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 6/7/2017
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 2/7/2015
Publications
Journal articles (38)
Stedtnitz, C., Szewach, P. and Johns, R., Public reactions to communication of uncertainty: How long-term benefits can outweigh short-term costs. Public Opinion Quarterly
Garry, J., Ford, R. and Johns, R., (2022). Coronavirus conspiracy beliefs, mistrust, and compliance: taking measurement seriously. Psychological Medicine. 52 (14), 3116-3126
Bernardi, L. and Johns, R., (2021). Depression and attitudes to change in referendums: The case of Brexit. European Journal of Political Research. Online (2), 339-358
Bennie, L., Mitchell, J. and Johns, R., (2021). Parties, movements and the 2014 Scottish independence referendum: Explaining the post-referendum party membership surges. Party Politics. 27 (6), 1184-1197
Johns, R., (2021). As You Were: The Scottish Parliament Election of 2021. The Political Quarterly. 92 (3), 493-499
Johns, R. and Kölln, A-K., (2020). Moderation and competence: How a party’s ideological position shapes its valence reputation. American Journal of Political Science. 64 (3), 649-663
van Egmond, M., Johns, R. and Brandenburg, H., (2020). When long-distance relationships don't work out: Representational distance and satisfaction with democracy in Europe. Electoral Studies. 66, 102182-102182
Henderson, A., Johns, R., Larner, J. and Carman, C., (2020). Scottish Labour as a case study in party failure: Evidence from the 2019 UK General Election in Scotland. Scottish Affairs. 29 (2), 127-140
Johns, R. and Davies, GAM., (2019). Civilian casualties and public support for military action: Experimental evidence. Journal of Conflict Resolution. 63 (1), 251-281
Davidson, S., Elstub, S., Johns, R. and Stark, A., (2017). Rating the debates: The 2010 UK party leaders? debates and political communication in the deliberative system. British Politics. 21 (2), 183-208
Davies, GAM. and Johns, R., (2016). R2P from below: Does the British public view humanitarian interventions as ethical and effective?. International Politics. 53 (1), 118-137
Davies, GAM. and Johns, R., (2016). The domestic consequences of international over-cooperation: An experimental study of microfoundations. Conflict Management and Peace Science. 33 (4), 343-360
Johns, R. and Brandenburg, H., (2014). Giving voters what they want? Party orientation perceptions and preferences in the British electorate. Party Politics. 20 (1), 89-104
Johns, R. and Davies, GAM., (2014). Coalitions of the willing? International backing and British public support for military action. Journal of Peace Research. 51 (6), 767-781
Brandenburg, H. and Johns, R., (2014). The Declining Representativeness of the British Party System, and Why It Matters. Political Studies. 62 (4), 704-725
Davies, GAM. and Johns, R., (2013). Audience Costs among the British Public: The Impact of Escalation, Crisis Type, and Prime Ministerial Rhetoric. International Studies Quarterly. 57 (4), 725-737
Johns, R., Mitchell, J. and Carman, CJ., (2013). Constitution or Competence? The SNP's Re-election in 2011. Political Studies. 61 (1_suppl), 158-178
Davies, GAM. and Johns, R., (2012). British Public Confidence in MI6 and Government Use of Intelligence: The Effect on Support for Preventive Military Action. Intelligence and National Security. 27 (5), 669-688
Johns, R. and Davies, GAM., (2012). Democratic Peace or Clash of Civilizations? Target States and Support for War in Britain and the United States. The Journal of Politics. 74 (04), 1038-1052
Johns, R., Bennie, L. and Mitchell, J., (2012). Gendered nationalism: The gender gap in support for the Scottish National Party. Party Politics. 18 (4), 581-601
Shephard, M. and Johns, R., (2011). A Face for Radio? How Viewers and Listeners Reacted Differently to the Third Leaders' Debate in 2010. British Journal of Politics and International Relations. 14 (1), 1-18
Johns, R. and Shephard, M., (2011). Facing the Voters: The Potential Impact of Ballot Paper Photographs in British Elections. Political Studies Review. 59 (3), 636-658
Johns, R., Winters, K. and Campbell, R., (2011). My Heart Says One Thing but My Head Says Another? Men, Women, and the Psychology of Partisanship in Britain. Politics & Gender. 7 (02), 193-222
Pattie, C., Denver, D., Johns, R. and Mitchell, J., (2011). Raising the tone? The impact of ?positive? and ?negative? campaigning on voting in the 2007 Scottish Parliament election. Electoral Studies. 30 (2), 333-343
Johns, R., Winters, K. and Campbell, R., (2011). My Heart Says One Thing but My Head Says Another? Men, Women, and the Psychology of Partisanship in Britain. Politics & Gender. 7 (02), 193-222
Johns, R., (2010). Credit where it's due? Valence politics, attributions of responsibility, and multi-level elections. Political Behavior. 33 (1), 53-77
Carman, CJ. and Johns, R., (2010). Linking coalition attitudes and split-ticket voting: The Scottish Parliament elections of 2007. Electoral Studies. 29 (3), 381-391
Johns, R., (2010). Measuring issue salience in British elections: Competing interpretations of 'most important issue'. Political Research Quarterly. 63 (1), 143-158
Denver, D. and Johns, R., (2010). Scottish Parliament Elections: ‘British Not Scottish’ Or ‘More Scottish Than British’?. Scottish Affairs. 70 (First Serie (1), 9-28
Denver, D., Johns, R. and Carman, C., (2009). Rejected ballot papers in the 2007 Scottish Parliament election: The voters? perspective. British Politics. 4 (1), 3-21
Johns, R., (2009). Tracing Foreign Policy Decisions: A Study of Citizens' Use of Heuristics. British Journal of Politics and International Relations. 11 (4), 574-592
Johns, R., Mitchell, J., Denver, D. and Pattie, C., (2009). Valence Politics in Scotland: Towards an Explanation of the 2007 Election. Political Studies. 57 (1), 207-233
Shephard, M. and Johns, R., (2008). Candidate Image and Electoral Preference in Britain. British Politics. 3 (3), 324-349
Johns, R. and Carman, C., (2008). Coping with coalitions? Scottish voters under a proportional system. Representation. 44 (4), 301-315
Johns, R., Carman, C. and Mitchell, J., (2008). The�unfortunate�natural experiment in ballot design: The Scottish Parliamentary Elections of 2007. Electoral Studies. 27 (3), 442-459
Adamson, K. and Johns, R., (2008). The Vlaams Blok, its electorate, and the ideological articulation of ?Europe?. Journal of Political Ideologies. 13 (2), 133-156
Johns, R. and Shephard, M., (2007). Gender, Candidate Image and Electoral Preference. The British Journal of Politics and International Relations. 9 (3), 434-460
Johns, R., (2006). Psephology at Speed. Political Studies Review. 4 (3), 307-309
Books (7)
Johns, R., (2022). Elections & Voters in Britain. Springer. 978-3-030-86492-7
Henderson, A., Johns, R., Larner, JM. and Carman, CJ., (2022). The Referendum that Changed a Nation. Springer International Publishing. 3031160940. 9783031160943
Johns, R. and Mitchell, J., (2016). Takeover: Explaining the Extraordinary Rise of the SNP. Biteback Publishing. 9781785900327
Carman, C., Johns, R. and Mitchell, J., (2014). More Scottish than British: The 2011 Scottish Parliament Election. Palgrave Macmillan. 978-1-137-02369-8
Denver, D., Carman, C. and Johns, R., (2012). Elections and Voters in Britain (3rd edition). Palgrave Macmillan. 9780230241619
Mitchell, J., Bennie, L. and Johns, R., (2011). The Scottish National Party: Transition to Power. Oxford University Press. 9780199580002
Johns, R., Denver, D., Mitchell, J. and Pattie, C., (2010). Voting for a Scottish Government: The Scottish Parliament Elections of 2007. Manchester University Press. 0719081084
Book chapters (8)
Denver, D. and Johns, R., (2020). Elections and voting. In: Routledge Handbook of British Politics & Society. Editors: Garnett, M. and Pillmoor, H., . Routledge. 82- 82. 1138677930
Johns, R., (2018). Squeezing the SNP: the election in Scotland. In: None Past the Post Britain at the Polls, 2017. Editors: Allen, NJ. and Bartle, J., . Manchester University Press. 9781526130068
Johns, R., (2017). Experiments. In: The SAGE Handbook of Electoral Behaviour. Editors: Arzheimer, K., Evans, J. and Lewis-Beck, M., . SAGE Publications Limited. 907- 933. 1473913152. 9781473913158
Heath, O. and Johns, R., (2016). Measuring Political Behaviour and Attitudes. In: Social Measurement through Social Surveys: An Applied Approach. 47- 68. 9780754674870
Heath, O. and Johns, R., (2012). Measuring political behaviour and attitudes. In: Social Measurement Through Social Surveys: An Applied Approach. 47- 68. 9780754674870
Johns, R. and Padgett, S., (2010). How Do Political Parties Shape Public Opinion? Britain in a European Perspective.. In: British Social Attitudes: The 26th Report. Editors: Park, A., Curtice, J., Thomson, C., Phillips, M., Clery, E. and Butt, S., . Sage Publications Ltd. 39- 62. 9781849203876
Heath, O. and Johns, R., (2010). Measuring political behaviour and attitudes. In: Social Measurement through Social Surveys: An Applied Approach. 47- 67. 9780754674870
Johns, R., (2009). Behaviouralism. In: The Oxford Handbook of British Politics. Editors: Flinders, M., Gamble, A., Hay, C. and Kenny, M., . Oxford University Press. 92- 113. 0199230951. 9780199230952
Conferences (1)
Johns, R., Lightfoot, S. and Davies, G., Needs and interests: Understanding the British public’s balancing of aid priorities
Grants and funding
2022
How Do Citizens Think About the Future? The Nature, Origins and Role of Expectations in Political Life
Economic and Social Research Council
2021
Scottish Election Study 2021-2025
Economic and Social Research Council
2020
Scottish Election Study 2016
Economic and Social Research Council
2018
Improving DfIDs reading of the public opinion environment for overseas aid
University of Essex
Improving DfIDs reading of the public opinion environment for overseas aid
University of Leeds
Business and Local Government Data Research Centre (BLG DRC)
Economic and Social Research Council
2017
More moderate equals more competent? How ideological position shapes valence judgements about a party
The British Academy
2016
Recruited by Referendum: Party membership Energised
Economic & Social Research Council
2014
Scottish Referendum Study 2014
Economic & Social Research Council
2012
Scottish Election Study 2011
Economic & Social Research Council
How do Perceptions of Privilege Impact on Political Activity in the UK?
YouGov
2010
Foreign Policy Attitudes and Support for the War
Economic & Social Research Council
Contact
Academic support hours:
Autumn term 2022: Tuesday 12.30-13.30, Friday 09.30-10.30.
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