Tim Abray

Research Interests

Tim’s research looks at the effects of political communication on voter behaviour, reevaluating dominant theories through the lens of contemporary behavioural and cognitive psychology. Tim is interested in how electoral tactics affect voters’ decisions and their overall attitudes about politics and political institutions. Tim is particularly interested in non-conscious effects – those things that affect our judgments without our active awareness – and their potential to subvert the necessary conditions of democratic functioning.

Brief Biography

Tim is a former radio journalist and award-winning communications consultant whose interest in political systems is fed by over 20 years of experience in political and public policy communication. Tim’s years of experience sitting at the table with senior government decision-makers have informed his intuitions about modern political practice and led him to closely examine the effect of contemporary communications tactics on individuals and democratic institutions.

Tim lives in Ottawa and is an active member of the community there. He is a former board member and chair of the planning committee for the Centretown Community Citizens Association. He spends much of his spare time learning about fairness and balance from his daughter.

Publications

“Advertising and Autonomy: Campaign Ads and their Effect on Choice.” Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law, Spring 2015 Special Issue; with Jonathan Rose (July 2015).

“Confounding classic models of voter behaviour: The challenge of automatic cognition.” Canadian Political Science Association, Annual Conference, June 2013. (Conference Paper).

“Deliberation at Work: Report of the Prince Edward County Citizens’ Assembly.” Review of the Size of Council. The County of Prince Edward. September 2013. (Policy report, co-author).

“Building Consensus: Exploring broad-based, multilateral collaboration as a means for executing large-scale change in a public sector environment.” Institute of Public Administration Canada (IPAC Case Study, Co-author with Dainora Juozapavicius).

Awards

Awarded Ontario Graduate Scholarship for 2014/15 ($15,000)

Queen's Graduate Scholarship for 2013/14 - ($12, 536)

McLaughlin Graduate Fellowship for 2012-13 ($10,000)

Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), 2008 ACE Awards, Silver Award (New Product or Service Launch Campaign of the Year)

Teaching

POLS 110 – Introduction to Politics (2011-12, TA)

POLS 211 – Canadian Government (Fall 2012, TA)

POLS 212 – Canadian Politics (Winter 2013, TA)

POLS 250 – Political Theory (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, TA)

POLS 404 – The Voter in Canadian Politics (Fall 2015, Instructor)