Dr Ron Roberts
Faculties, departments and locations
- Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences
- Penrhyn Road
Honorary Lecturer
- Email:
- [email protected]
About
I am Honorary Lecturer in Psychology at Kingston University, a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society.
I studied at the universities of Sheffield, London and Leicester, and held previous posts at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of Westminster, King's College Medical School, University College London, St Bartholomew's Medical School, Queen Mary College and the Tavistock Institute.
I am the author of over 60 refereed articles as well as writing and editing 14 books, including Just War: Psychology & Terrorism (2007), Reel to Real: Psychiatry at the Cinema (2011), The New Politics of Experience and The Bitter Herbs (2014) (all with PCCS) and Psychology and Capitalism (2015), The Off-Modern: Psychology estranged (2017), Capitalism on Campus (2018) (with Zero Books), Francis Huxley and the Human Condition: Anthropology, ancestry and knowledge (2020) (Routledge), Svetlana Boym (2022) The Origins of Nostalgia: memories and reflections (Bloomsbury), Huxley in Haiti (2022) (CIDIHCA).
I am currently a member of the Psychologists for Social Change group. During the 1980s and 1990s, I wrote for and edited Science for People magazine in the UK. I have been a frequent media commentator on both national and international media on student sex work (BBC1, Channel 4, BBC World Service, BBC local radio, FDZ (Germany), Rai Uno (Italy). As well as pioneering work on student mental health and student participation in the sex industry, I contributed to Antarctic Resolutions which won the 2021 DAM Architectural Book Award and the 2022 Grand Prize of the European Commission honouring Innovation in Technology, Industry and Society stimulated by the Arts.
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons)
- MSc (dist)
- PhD
- Cert Tesol.
Domains
My research interests lie in social memory, student mental health, student sex work, political psychology and the politics of psychology. In addition I have written on parapsychology, social anthropology and nostalgia. Together with Theodor Itten I co-authored a biography of Francis Huxley, a member of the illustrious Huxley family.
My published books include;
Roberts, R., Towell, A. and Golding, J. (2001) Foundations of Health Psychology. Palgrave (Macmillan).
Roberts, R. and Groome, D. (Eds.) (2001) Parapsychology: The science of unusual experience. London. Arnold & Oxford University Press.
Roberts, R. and Groome, D. (Eds.) (2003) Parapsychology. Moscow. Olma Press. (Russian Edition)
Roberts, R. (Ed.) (2007) Just war: Psychology and terrorism. Ross On-Wye. PCCS Books
Roberts, R. (2011) Real to Reel. Psychiatry at the cinema. Ross-On-Wye. PCCS Books.
Itten, T. & Roberts, R. (2014) The new politics of experience & The bitter herbs. Monmouth. PCCS Books.
Roberts, R. (2015) Psychology & Capitalism. Winchester. Zero Books.
Roberts, T & Itten, T. (2015) Nova Politika Doživ Ljaja. Publikacija Neke Organizajica Sarajevo.
Itten, T. & Roberts, R. (2016) Politik der Erhfarung. Gießen. Psychosozial-Verlag.
Groome, D. & Roberts, R. (Eds.) (2016) Parapsychology: The science of unusual experience. London (2nd Edition). London. Routledge.
Roberts, R. (2017) The Off-Modern. Psychology Estranged. Winchester. Zero Books.
Roberts, R. (2018) Capitalism on Campus: Sex Work, Academic Freedom and the Market. Winchester. Zero Books.
Vos, J., Roberts, R. & Davies, J. (2019) Mental health in crisis. London. Sage Swift.
Roberts, R. & Itten. T. (2020) Francis Huxley and the human condition: Anthropology, ancestry and knowledge. London Routledge.
Roberts, R. (Ed.) Svetlana Boym (2022) The Origins of Nostalgia: Memories and Reflections. London. Bloomsbury.
Itten, T., Roberts, R. & Davis, P. (2022) Huxley in Haiti: An Album. Montreal. CIDIHCA.
Itten, T. & Roberts, R. (2023) Francis Huxley: Ein Leben für die Sozialanthropologie. Springer VS.
Articles
Richardson. T, Yeebo, M, Jansen, M., Elliot, P. & Roberts, R. (2022) The Relationship between Mental and Physical Health: A Longitudinal Analysis with British Students. Journal of Public Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-11-2021-0147
Book Chapter
Roberts, R. (2022). Student Sex Work: Economics, Education, and Ethics. In: D. Jones, & T. Sanders, (Eds) Student Sex Work. Palgrave Advances in Sex Work Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07777-7_3
Publications
Psychology in the Covid-19 dreamland. Book Review of: 'The psychology of COVID-19' by Joel Vos Sage
Roberts, Ron, 2022, Journal of Constructivist Psychology (35), 3pp 1121-1123, Published
Francis Huxley and the human condition
Roberts, Ron and Itten, Theodor, 2021, Psychologist (34)pp 68-71, Published
An obsession with theory?
Roberts, Ron, 2020, Psychologist (33), Published
Hopeful possibilities of resistance
Roberts, Ron, 2018, Psychologist (31), Published
Financial difficulties and psychosis risk in British undergraduate students: a longitudinal analysis
Richardson, Thomas, Yeebo, Mma, Jansen, Megan, Elliott, Peter and Roberts, Ron, 2018, Journal of Public Mental Health (17), 2pp 61-68, Published
A longitudinal study of financial difficulties and mental health in a national sample of British undergraduate students
Elliott, Peter, Roberts, Ron, Jansen, Megan and Richardson, Thomas, 2017, Community Mental Health Journal (53), 3pp 344-352, Published
Relationship between loneliness and mental health in students
Richardson, Thomas, Elliott, Peter and Roberts, Ron, 2017, Journal of Public Mental Health (16), 2pp 48-54, Published
Student involvement in the UK sex industry: motivations and experiences.
Jones, Debbie, Symons, Katrien, Sagar, Tracey, Tyrie, Jacky and Roberts, Ron, 2016, The British Journal Of Sociology (67), 4pp 697-718, Published
A time for much thought and new action?
Roberts, Ron, 2016, Psychologist, Published
Off the beaten track
Roberts, Ron, 2016, Psychologist (29)pp 620-623, Published
The impact of tuition fees amount on mental health over time in British students
Richardson, T., Elliott, P. and Roberts, R., 2015, Journal of Public Health (37), 3pp 412-418, Published
Student participation in the sex industry: higher education responses and staff experiences and perceptions
Sagar, Tracey, Jones, Deborah, Symons, Katrien, Bowring, Joanne and Roberts, Ron, 2015, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management (37), 4pp 400-412, Published
Ron Roberts reflects on psychology's ambivalent relationship to conflict
Roberts, Ron, 2015, Psychology Cultures, Published
A rough guide to higher education (part one)
Roberts, Ron, 2014, Left Unity, Published
The psychodynamics of film. Book review of: 'Visible mind : movies, modernity and the unconscious' by Christopher Hauke
Roberts, Ron, 2014, Psychologist (27), 1, Published
The relationship between personal unsecured debt and mental and physical health: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Richardson, Thomas, Elliott, Peter and Roberts, Ronald, 2013, Clinical Psychology Review (33), 8pp 1148-1162, Published
Young parents' perceptions of barriers to antenatal and postnatal care
Smith, Debbie and Roberts, Ron, 2013, British Journal of Midwifery (17), 10pp 620-627, Published
Letter: Methodological shortcomings of biological research
Roberts, Ron, 2013, Psychologist (26), 7, Published
Guest blog: Dr. Ron Roberts - Kingston University, London
Roberts, Ron, 2013, Student Sex Work Project, Published
Students and sex work in the UK: providers and purchasers
Roberts, Ron, Jones, Amy and Sanders, Teela, 2013, Sex Education: sexuality, society and learning (13), 3pp 349-363, Published
Szasz, reason & responsibility
Roberts, Ron, 2013, Asylum : the magazine for democratic psychiatry (20)pp 11-12, Published
Thomas Szasz (1920 - 2012) Life, liberty and politics
Roberts, Ron, 2012, Asylum : the magazine for democratic psychiatry (19)pp 3-4, Published
A moral abyss?
Roberts, Ron, 2012, Psychologist (25), 11pp 800-801, Published
Fourth wave feminism: protests and prospects
Wahgo, S. and Roberts, R., 2012, Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (12), 4pp 216-220, Published
Social inequality and young pregnancy: the causal attributions of young parents in London, UK
Smith, Debbie M. and Roberts, Ron, 2011, Health and Place (17), 5pp 1054-1060, Published
Letter: Kanazawa strikes again
Roberts, Ron, 2011, Psychologist (24), 7pp 478-479, Published
Young parents; the role of housing in understanding social inequality
Smith, Debbie and Roberts, Ron, 2011, The Journal of Family Health Care (21), 1pp 20-22, Published
Liberation by illusion: image and reality in the construction of security
Roberts, Ron, 2011, Democracy and Security in Southeastern Europe, 8-9pp 46-49, Published
Sanity, madness & memory: R.D. Laing and the post-modern
Roberts, Ron, 2011, International Journal of Psychotherapy (15), 2, Published
Psychology at the end of the world
Roberts, Ronald, 2011, Psychologist (24), 1pp 22-25, Published
Madness, myth and medicine
Roberts, Ron, 2010, Psychologist (23), 8pp 694-695, Published
Book Review of: 'Safer sex in the city: the experience and management of street prostitution' by David Canter, Marie Ioannou and Donna Youngs
Roberts, Ronald, 2010, Psychologist (23), 5pp 402-402, Published
Martial arts and mental health
Macarie, Iulius-Cezar and Roberts, Ron, 2010, Contemporary Psychotherapy (2), 1, Published
Participation in sex work: students' views
Roberts, R., Sanders, T., Smith, D. and Myers, E., 2010, Sex Education: sexuality, society and learning (10), 2pp 145-156, Published
Researching students in sex work: market values and academic freedom
Roberts, R., 2010, Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (10), 1pp 12-17, Published
Social acceptance: a possible mediator in the association between socio-economic deprivation and under-18 pregnancy rates?
Smith, D. and Roberts, R., 2009, Journal of Youth Studies (12), 6pp 669-683, Published
Higher and further education institution policies on student and staff involvement in commercial sex
Cusick, L., Roberts, R. and Paton, S., 2009, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management (31), 2pp 185-195, Published
Children's understanding of the war in Iraq: views from Britain and Bosnia
Roberts, Ron, Becirevic, Majda and Baker, Tracy, 2009, International Journal of Children's Spirituality (14), 1pp 17-30, Published
Cancer counselling in the United Kingdom
Fallowfield, Lesley and Roberts, Ron, 2007, Psychology & Health (6), 1-2pp 107-117, Published
Psychiatry, science and mental health: arguments against medical tyranny
Roberts, Ron, 2007, Critical Public Health (1), 4pp 15-21, Published
Sex work and students: an exploratory study
Roberts, Ronald, Bergstrom, Sandra and La Rooy, David, 2007, Journal of Further and Higher Education (31), 4pp 323-334, Published
Commentary: UK students and sex work : current knowledge and research issues
La Rooy, David, Roberts, Ronald and Bergstom, Sandra, 2007, Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology (17), 2pp 141-146, Published
Psiholoska objasnjenja, socijalne reprezentacije I genocid [Psychological explanation, social representations and genocide]
Roberts, Ronald, 2007, Kriminalisticke teme [Journal of Criminal Justice Issues] (6), 3-4pp 19-36, Published
Student parents, hardship and debt: a qualitative study
Gerrard, Eve and Roberts, Ronald, 2006, Journal of Further and Higher Education (30), 4pp 393-403, Published
Laing and Szasz: anti-psychiatry, capitalism, and therapy
Roberts, Ron and Itten, Theodor, 2006, Psychoanalytic Review (93), 5pp 781-800, Published
Precursors of genocide
Roberts, Ron, 2006, Psychologist (19), 6pp 341-341, Published
British psychology's response to the Iraq War 2003-2004
Roberts, Ron, 2006, Clinical Psychology (157)pp 24-48, Published
Models of terrorism
Roberts, Ron, 2005, Psychologist (18), 10pp 599-599, Published
Power and illusion: perspectives from Laing and Chomsky
Roberts, Ron, 2005, Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (5), 3pp 123-131, Published
Problems in replicating multivariate models in quantitative research
Roberts, R., 2005, Health Psychology Update (14), 3pp 10-16, Published
Alcohol consumption and the workplace: prospects for change?
Roberts, Ron, Cyster, Richard and McEwen, James, 2005, Public Health (102), 5pp 463-469, Published
Iraq - should the BPS have a view?
Roberts, Ron, 2005, Psychologist (18), 4pp 198-199, Published
The response of British psychology to the Iraq war 2003-2004
Roberts, R., 2005, Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (5), 1pp 1-9, Published
Don't mention the war
Roberts, Ronald and Esgate, Anthony, 2005, Psychologist (18), 2pp 198-198, Published
The effects of child sexual abuse in later family life; mental health, parenting and adjustment of offspring
O'Connor, Tom, Dunn, Judy, Roberts, Ron and Golding, Jean, 2004, Child Abuse & Neglect (28), 5pp 525-545, Published
Sanity madness and science: R.D.Laing and critical psychology
Roberts, Ron, 2004, Society for Langian Studies, Published
Electroconvulsive therapy: confusion does not stem from the evidence
Roberts, Ron, 2003, BMJ (online) (327)pp 621-621, Published
Prevention is better than the cure
Roberts, Ron, 2002, guardian.co.uk, Published
Parapsychology and postmodernism
Roberts, Ronald, 2001, The Skeptic (14), 4pp 16-17, Published
Mental and physical health in students: the role of economic circumstances
Roberts, Ron, Golding, John, Towell, Tony, Reid, Steven, Woodford, Sally, Vetere, Arlene and Weinreb, Irene, 2000, British Journal of Health Psychology (5), 3pp 289-297, Published
Factors predictive of bone mineral density in eating-disordered women: a longitudinal study
Baker, Dawn, Roberts, Ron and Towell, Tony, 2000, International Journal of Eating Disorders (27), 1pp 29-35, Published
Debts of despair
Roberts, Ron, 1999, The Guardian (Feb 2), Published
Health-related correlates of gambling on the British National Lottery
Roberts, R., Golding, J. F., Towell, A. D., Reid, S. and Woodford, S. J., 1999, Psychological Reports (84), 1pp 247-254, Published
The effects of economic circumstances on British students' mental and physical health
Roberts, Ron, Golding, John, Towell, Tony and Weinreb, Irene, 1999, Journal of American College Health (48), 3pp 103-109, Published
Variations in self reported health by occupational grade in the British Post Office: the Q-health project
Roberts, R., Welch, R., Boorman, S., Golding, J. F. and Towell, T., 1999, Occupational Medicine (49), 8pp 491-497, Published
Culture shock and jet lag do not explain neuropsychiatric side effects of mefloquine
Roberts, Ron, 1998, British Medical Journal (BMJ) (316), Published
Student finance and mental health
Roberts, Ron, Golding, John and Towell, Tony, 1998, Psychologist (11), 10pp 489-491, Published
Psychometric and clinical validity of the SF-36 in the Whitehall II study
Marmot, Michael, Roberts, Ron and Hemingway, Harry, 1997, British Journal of Health Psychology (2), 4pp 285-300, Published
The impact of socioeconomic status on health functioning as assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire: the Whitehall II Study
Hemingway, H., Nicholson, A., Stafford, M., Roberts, R. and Marmot, M., 1997, American Journal of Public Health (87), 9pp 1484-1490, Published
Assessing the validity of the SF-36 General Health Survey
Stansfeld, S. A., Roberts, R. and Foot, S.P., 1997, Quality of Life Research (6), 3pp 217-224, Published
Psychological factors in the relationship between alcohol and cardiovascular morbidity
Roberts, Ron, Brunner, Eric and Marmot, Michael, 1995, Social Science and Medicine (41), 11pp 1513-1516, Published
Gender differences in occupational mobility and structure of employment in the British Civil Service
Roberts, Ron, Brunner, Eric, White, Ian and Marmot, Michael, 1993, Social Science and Medicine (37), 12pp 1415-1425, Published
Who supports the cancer counsellors?
Roberts, R. and Fallowfield, L., 1990, Nursing Times (86)pp 32-34, Published
The goals of cancer counsellors
Roberts, Ron and Fallowfield, Lesley, 1990, Counselling : The Journal of the British Association for Counselling (1), 3pp 88-91, Published
Recurring themes and images in a series of consecutive REM dreams
Roberts, Ron, 1988, Perceptual and Motor Skills (67), 3, Published
Hiccups in alcohol education
Roberts, Ron, 1988, Health Education Journal (47), 2-3pp 73-76, Published
Factors influencing alcohol consumption in a workspace setting
Roberts, Ron, 1988, Occupational Medicine (38), 4pp 118-122, Published
Tumbling dice
Roberts, Ron, 1984, Personal Computer News (80)pp 12-13, Published
The psychology of people, power and politics: through the looking glass
Roberts, Ron (2023). Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.: [Published]
The Origins of Nostalgia: Memories and Reflections
Boym, Svetlana (2022). New York, U.S.: [Published]
Francis Huxley: Ein Leben für die Sozialanthropologie [Francis Huxley : A Life for Social Anthropology]
Itten, Theodor and Roberts, Ron (2022). Wiesbaden, Germany: [Published]
Francis Huxley and the human condition: anthropology, ancestry and knowledge
Roberts, Ron and Itten, Theodor (2021). Abingdon, U.K.: [Published]
Mental health in crisis
Vos, Joel, Roberts, Ron and Davies, James (2019). London, U.K.: [Published]
Capitalism on campus: sex work, academic freedom and the market
Roberts, Ron (2018). Winchester, U.K.: [Published]
Parapsychology: the science of unusual experience
Groome, David and Roberts, Ron (2017). Abingdon, U.K.: [Published]
The off-modern: psychology estranged
Roberts, Ron (2017). Alresford, U.K.: [Published]
Psychology and capitalism: the manipulation of mind
Roberts, Ron (2015). Winchester, U.K.: [Published]
The new politics of experience and the bitter herbs
Itten, Theodor and Roberts, Ron (2014). Monmouth, UK: [Published]
Real to reel: psychiatry at the cinema
Roberts, Ron (2011). Ross-on-Wye, UK: [Published]
Foundations of health psychology
Roberts, Ron, Towell, Tony and Golding, John F. (2001). Basingstoke, UK: [Published]
Antarctica, human adaptation, and space
Roberts, Ron (2021). In: Foscari, Giulia, (eds.), Zurich, Switzerland:pp 571-573 [Published]
Psychology estranged: mind, culture, and capitalism
Roberts, Ron (2020). In: Nehring, Daniel, Madsen, Ole Jacob, Cabanas, Edgar, Mills, China, Kerrigan, Dylan, (eds.), Abingdon, U.K.:pp 372-384 [Published]
From alienation to estrangement: political thought and psychology
Roberts, Ron (2018). In: Hewer, Christopher J., Lyons, Evanthia, (eds.), Chichester, U.K.:pp 54-72 [Published]
Social influence and malevolent authority: obedience revisited
Roberts, Ron (2018). In: Hewer, Christopher J., Lyons, Evanthia, (eds.), Chichester, U.K.:pp 271-291 [Published]
Laing and Szasz revisited: anti-psychiatry, capitalism and therapy
Roberts, Ron and Itten, Theodor (2012). In: Itten, Theodor, Young, Courtenay, (eds.), Ross-on-Wye, U.K.:pp 260-279 [Published]
Sanity, madness & memory: R.D. Laing and the post-modern
Roberts, Ron (2012). In: Itten, Theodor, Young, Courtenay, (eds.), Ross-on-Wye, U.K.:pp 202-217 [Published]
Truth and denial: psychological perspectives on reconciliation in Bosnia
Roberts, Ron, Becirevic, Edina and Paul, Stephen (2011). In: Elford, R. John, (eds.), Bern, Switzerland: Peter Langpp 129-146 [Published]
A psychology for peace?
Harper, David, Roberts, Ron and Sloboda, John (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (eds.), Ross-on-Wye, UK:pp 213-234 [Published]
British psychology's response to the invasion and occupation of Iraq
Roberts, Ron (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (eds.), Ross-on-Wye, UK:pp 46-60 [Published]
Children and war: making sense of Iraq
Roberts, Ron, Becirevic, Majda and Tenenbaum, Harriet (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (eds.), Ross-on-Wye, UK:pp 170-180 [Published]
Power, illusion and control: families, states and conflict
Roberts, Ron (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (eds.), Ross-on-Wye, UK:pp 160-169 [Published]
Sleepwalking into totalitarianism: democracy, centre politics and terror
Roberts, Ron (2007). In: Roberts, Ron, (eds.), Ross-on-Wye, UK:pp 181-198 [Published]
Degrees of debt
Roberts, Ron and Zelenyanszki, Christiane (2002). In: Stanley, Nicky, Manthorpe, Jill, (eds.), London, UK:pp 107-120 [Published]
Dreams
Mueller, Antje and Roberts, Ron (2001). In: Roberts, Ron, Groome, David, (eds.), London:pp 86-101 [Published]
Gateways to the mind: society and the paranormal
Roberts, Ron (2001). In: Groome, David, Roberts, Ron, (eds.), London:pp 156-162 [Published]
Science and experience
Roberts, Ron (2001). In: Roberts, Ron, Groome, David, (eds.), London:pp 7-18 [Published]
Student health and well-being
Roberts, R. and Smith, D.(2006). [Published]
Attitudes to abortion and pregnancy in young parents: does relative affluence matter?
Smith, D. and Roberts, R.(2006). [Published]
What leads to stability in parent-child relationships? Studying parent-child conflict using multilevel modelling
Roberts, R.(2002). [Published]