I am interested in understanding how voters form political opinions and if voters behave according to their stated preferences and attitudes. I draw on insights from political psychology and economics in my work. I mostly use quantitative methods and techniques such as for example survey and natural experiments as well as quantitative text analytic approaches. I also have an interest in normative political theory.
My work has been published in outlets such as Comparative Political Studies, European Journal of Political Research and Psychological Science.
I currently serve as a co-editor of the journals Political Psychology and Research and Politics. I am also part of the Independent Research Fund Denmark.
Publications
Displaying of publications. Sorted by year, then title.
Lexical Ambiguity in Political Rhetoric: Why Morality Doesn't Fit in a Bag of Words
Patrick W Kraft, Robert Klemmensen
(2024) British Journal of Political Science, 54 p.201-219
Journal articleGenetic and environmental influences on the stability of political attitudes
Stig HR Rasmussen, Aaron Weinschenk, Aleksander Ksiazkiewicz, Jacob B.H. Hjelmborg, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, et al.
(2024) Personality and Individual Differences, 229
Journal articleUsing deep learning to predict ideology from facial photographs: expressions, beauty, and extra-facial information
Stig HR Rasmussen, Steven Ludeke, Robert Klemmensen
(2023) Scientific Reports, 13
Journal articleGenes, Personality, and Political Behavior: A Replication and Extension Using Danish Twins
Aaron Weinschenk, Christopher Dawes, Robert Klemmensen, Stig HR Rasmussen
(2023) Politics and the Life Sciences, 42 p.4-16
Journal articleExploring the foundational origins of public service motivation through the lens of behavioral genetics
Christoffer Florczak, Stig HR Rasmussen, Ulrich Jensen, Justin Stritch, Kaare Christensen, et al.
(2023) Public Administration, 101 p.993-1013
Journal articleParental transmission and the importance of the (non-causal) effects of education on political engagement: Missing the forest for the trees
Stig HR Rasmussen, Christopher Dawes, Aaron Weinschenk, Jacob B.H. Hjelmborg, Robert Klemmensen
(2023) Social Psychological and Personality Science, 14 p.854-864
Journal articleDe unga gör helt rätt när de stämmer staten
Christina Moberg, Hervé Corvellec, Anders Lindroth, Manuela Isacson, Linn Nilsson, et al.
(2022) Aftonbladet
Newspaper articleThe Five Factor Model of Personality and Heritability: Evidence from Denmark
Aaron Weinschenk, Stig HR Rasmussen, Kaare Christensen, Christopher Dawes, Robert Klemmensen
(2022) Personality and Individual Differences, 11
Journal articleLongevity returns to political office
Erik G. Larsen, Sebastian Barfort, Robert Klemmensen
(2021) Political Science Research and Methods, 9 p.658-664
Journal articleHealth, Wellbeing, and Democratic Citizenship: A Review and Research Agenda
Christopher J. Anderson, Sara Hagemann, Robert Klemmensen
(2021) LSE Public Policy Review, 2
Journal articleParent contributions to the development of political attitudes in adoptive and non-adoptive families
Emily A Willoughby, Alexandros Giannelis, Steven Ludeke, Robert Klemmensen, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, et al.
(2021) Psychological Science, 32 p.2023-2034
Journal articleThe Relationship Between Education and Political Knowledge: Evidence from Discordant Danish Twins
Aaron Weinschenk, Christopher Dawes, Stig HR Rasmussen, Robert Klemmensen
(2021) Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties
Journal articleThe Relationship Between Political Attitudes and Political Participation: Evidence from Monozygotic Twins in the United States, Sweden, Germany, and Denmark
Aaron Weinschenk, Christopher Dawes, Sven Oskarsson, Robert Klemmensen, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard
(2021) Electoral Studies, 69
Journal articleDo Birds of a Feather Flock Together? The Personality Traits of Politicians, and Bureaucrats in Decentralized Government
Christoffer Florczak, Stig HR Rasmussen, Steven Ludeke, Nørgaard Asbjørn S., Camilla Arent, et al.
(2020) Personality and Individual Differences, 163
Journal articleSources of Stability in Social and Economic Ideological Orientations: Cohort, Context, and Construct Effects
Aleksander Ksiazkiewicz, Robert Klemmensen, Christopher Dawes, Matt McGue, Robert F. Krueger, et al.
(2020) International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 32 p.711-730
Journal articleIntroduction to the special issue from personality to politics
Aaron Weinschenk, Bert N Bakker, Christopher Dawes, Gillian Finchilescu, Robert Klemmensen
(2020) Personality and Individual Differences, 158
Journal articleScaling Political Positions from Texts. Assumptions, Methods and Pitfalls
Benjamin Egerod, Robert Klemmensen
(2020) The SAGE Handbook of Research Methods in Political Science and International Relations
Book chapterBailout or bust? Government evaluations in the wake of a bailout
Erik G. Larsen, Robert Klemmensen, Michael Baggesen-Klitgaard
(2019) European Political Science Review, 11
Journal articleLosers lose more than winners win: asymmetrical effects of winning and losing in elections
Sune W. Hansen, Søren Serritzlew, Robert Klemmensen
(2019) European Journal of Political Research, 58
Journal articleDenmark: The politics of compromise and minority government governance
Christoffer Florczak, Robert Klemmensen
(2019) Coalition government as a reflectionof nation’s politics and society, , p.147-163
Book chapterThe personalities of Danish MPs: Trait and aspect level differences
Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, Robert Klemmensen
(2018) Journal of Personality, 87
Journal articleWith an open mind: Openness to experience moderates the effect of interethnic encounters on support for immigration
Bolette Danckert, Peter Thisted Dinesen, Robert Klemmensen, Kim M Sønderskov, Dietlind Stolle, et al.
(2017) European Sociological Review, 33
Journal articleStay loyal or exit the party? How openness to experience and extroversion explain vote switching
Bert Bakker, Robert Klemmensen, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, Gijs Schumacher
(2016) Political Psychology, 37
Journal articleEstimating the impact of education on political participation: Evidence from monozygotic twins in the United States, Denmark and Sweden
Peter Thisted Dinesen, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, Robert Klemmensen, Sven Oskarsson, Patrik Magnusson, et al.
(2016) Political Behavior, 38
Journal articleAttitudes toward immigration: The role of personal predispositions
Peter Thisted Dinesen, Robert Klemmensen, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard
(2016) Political Psychology, 37
Journal articleComputers, coders, and voters : Comparing automated methods for estimating party positions
Frederik Hjorth, Robert Klemmensen, Sara Binzer Hobolt, Martin Ejnar Hansen, Peter Kurrild-klitgaard
(2015) Research and Politics, 2
Journal articlePolicy considerations on Facebook: Agendas, coherence and communication patterns in the 2011 Danish parliamentary elections.
Arjen van Dalen, Kasper Møller Hansen, Zoltan Fazekas, Robert Klemmensen
(2015) Journal of Information Technology and Politics, 12
Journal articleWhat are the Local Political Costs of Centrally Determined Reforms of Local Government?
Ulrik Kjær, Robert Klemmensen
(2015) Local Government Studies, 41 p.100-118
Journal articleA Tale of Two Cultures. Qualitative and Quantitative Research in the Social Sciences
Robert Klemmensen
(2014) Political Studies Review, 12
ReviewThe Civic Personality: Personality and Democratic Citizenship
Peter Thisted Dinesen, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, Robert Klemmensen
(2014) Political Studies, 62
Journal articleGenetic Influences on Political Ideologies: Twin Analyses of 19 Measures of Political Ideologies from Five Democracies and Genome-Wide Findings from Three Populations
Peter K Hatemi, Sarah E. Medland, Robert Klemmensen, Sven Oskarsson, Levente Littvay, et al.
(2014) Behavior Genetics, 44 p.282-294
Journal articlePoliticization and the Replacement of Top Civil Servants in Denmark
Jørgen Grønnegaard Christensen, Niels Opstrup, Robert Klemmensen
(2014) Governance, 27 p.215-241
Journal articlePortfolio Saliency and Ministerial Turnover. Dynamics in Scandinavian Post-War Cabinets
Martin Ejnar Hansen, Robert Klemmensen, Sara Binzer Hobolt, Hanna Bäck
(2013) Scandinavian Political Studies, 36 p.227-248
Journal articleImmigration and redistribution revisited: How Different Motivations Can Offset Each Other
Patrick Emmenegger, Robert Klemmensen
(2013) Journal of European Social Policy, 23
Journal articleWhat Motivates You? The Relationship between Preferences for Redistribution and Attitudes toward Immigration
Patrick Emmenegger, Robert Klemmensen
(2013) Journal of Comparative Politics, 45 p.227-246
Journal articleThe Danish Political Twin Study: Political Traits in Danish Twins and the General Population
Robert Klemmensen, Axel Skytthe, Sara Binzer Hobolt, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, Peter Thisted Dinesen
(2012) Twin Research and Human Genetics, 15
Journal articleHeritability in Political Interest and Efficacy across Cultures: Denmark and the United States.
Robert Klemmensen, Sara Binzer Hobolt, Peter K Hatemi, Axel Skytthe, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard
(2012) Twin Research and Human Genetics, 15
Journal articleThe Genetics of Political Participation, Civic Duty, and Political Efficacy across Cultures: Denmark and the United States
Robert Klemmensen, Peter K Hatemi, Sara Binzer Hobolt, Inge Petersen, Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, et al.
(2012) Journal of Theoretical Politics, 24
Journal articleExperts in election news coverage: Process or substance?
Erik Albæk, David Nicolas Hopmann, Christiam Elmelund Præstekær, Robert Klemmensen
(2011) Nordicom Review, 32 p.45-58
Journal articleAgenda control and veto rights to opposition parties
Robert Klemmensen
(2010) The Role of Governments in Legislative Agenda Setting
Book chapterLosers’ Consent. Elections and democratic legitimacy.
Robert Klemmensen
(2009) Political Studies Review
ReviewGovernment responsiveness and political competition in comparative perspective
Sara Binzer Hobolt, Robert Klemmensen
(2008) Comparative Political Studies, 41 p.309-337
Journal articleEstimating policy positions using political texts: An evaluation of the Wordscores approach
Robert Klemmensen, Sara Binzer Hobolt, Martin Ejnar Hansen
(2007) Electoral Studies, 26 p.746-755
Journal articleThe political economy of freedom, democracy and transnational terrorism
Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard, Mogens Kamp Justesen, Robert Klemmensen
(2006) Public Choice, 128 p.289-315
Journal articleTides of Consent: How Public Opinion Shapes American Politics.
Robert Klemmensen
(2006) Political Studies Review, 4
ReviewResponsive government? Public opinion and government policy preferences in Britain and Denmark
Sara Binzer Hobolt, Robert Klemmensen
(2005) Political Studies, 53 p.379-402
Journal articleFollow the leader? Divergent positions on Iraq in Denmark and Ireland
Sara Binzer Hobolt, Robert Klemmensen
(2003) European Political Science, 3 p.41-46
Journal articleConsensus, Cooperation and Conflict: The Policy Making Process in Denmark
Robert Klemmensen
(2003) Economic Journal, 113
Review