Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Human behavioral pharmacology
Behavioral economics of drug self-administration
Delay discounting and impulsivity in drug dependence
Atypical drugs of abuse (e.g., hallucinogens)
Drug administration studies: alcohol, benzodiazepines, caffeine, cocaine, GHB, nicotine, psilocybin
| 1998 | B.S., Eastern Oregon University, Psychology |
| 2002 | M.A., University of Vermont, General/Experimental Psychology, Biobehavioral Specialization |
| 2004 | Ph.D., University of Vermont, General/Experimental Psychology, Biobehavioral Specialization |
| 2004 - 2007 | Postdoctoral Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Behavioral Pharmacology |
| 2007 - 2009 | Faculty Instructor, Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine |
| 2009 - present | Assistant Professor, Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine |
Johnson, M.W. & Ettinger, R.H. (2000). Active cocaine immunization attenuates the discriminative properties of cocaine. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 8, 163-167.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2002). Within-subject comparison of real and hypothetical money rewards in delay discounting. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 77, 129-146.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2003). The behavioral economics of cigarette smoking: The concurrent presence of a substitute and an independent reinforcer. Behavioural Pharmacology, 14, 137-144.
Baker, F., Johnson, M.W., and Bickel, W.K. (2003). Delay discounting in current and never-before cigarette smokers: similarities and differences across commodity, sign, and magnitude. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 382-392.
Baker, F., Johnson, M.W., & Bickel, W.K. (2003). Decision making in state lotteries: Half now or all of it later? Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 10, 965-970.
Bickel, W.K. & Johnson, M.W. (2003). Delay discounting: A fundamental behavioral process of drug dependence. In G. Loewenstein, D. Read & R.F. Baumeister (Eds.) Time and Decision. Russell Sage Foundation, New York.
Bickel, W.K. & Johnson, M.W. (2003). Junk time: Pathological behavior as the interaction of evolutionary and cultural forces. In N. Heather and R. Vuchinich (Eds.), Choice, Behavioral Economics, and Addictions. Pergamon, Boston.
Johnson, M.W., Bickel, W.K., & Kirshenbaum, A.P. (2004). Substitutes for tobacco smoking: A behavioral economic analysis of nicotine gum, denicotinized cigarettes, and nicotine-containing cigarettes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 74, 253-264.
Yi, R., Johnson, M.W., & Bickel, W.K. (2005). Relationship between cooperation in an iterated prisoner's dilemma game and the discounting of hypothetical outcomes. Learning and Behavior, 33, 324-336.
Heil, S.H., Johnson, M.W., Higgins, S.T., & Bickel, W.K. (2005). Delay discounting in currently using and currently abstinent cocaine-dependent outpatients and non-drug-using matched control. Addictive Behaviors, 31, 1290-1294.
Griffiths, R.R. & Johnson, M.W. (2005). Relative abuse liability of hypnotic drugs: a conceptual framework and algorithm for differentiating among compounds. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66, 31-41.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2006). Replacing relative reinforcing efficacy with behavioral economic demand curves. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 85, 73-93.
Johnson, M.W., Suess, P.E., & Griffiths (2006). Ramelteon: A novel hypnotic lacking abuse liability and sedative adverse effects. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63, 1149-1157.
Johnson, M.W., Bickel, W.K., Baker, F. (2007). Moderate drug use and delay discounting: A comparison of heavy, light, and never smokers. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 15, 187-194.
Mintzer, M.Z. & Johnson, M.W. (2007) Opioids. In. The Neuropsychological Consequences of Substance Abuse. A. Kalechstein and W. Van Gorp (eds.) Taylor Francis: New York, NY.
Johnson, M.W., Bickel, W.K. (2008). An algorithm for identifying nonsystematic data in delay discounting research. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 16, 264-274.
Yi, R., Johnson, M.W., Giordano, L.A., Landes, R.D., Badger, G.J., Bickel, W.K. (2008). The effects of reduced cigarette smoking on discounting future rewards: an initial evaluation. The Psychological Record, 58, 163-174.
Griffiths, R.R., Richards, W.A., Johnson, M.W., McCann, U.D., Jesse, R. (2008) Mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of spiritual significance 14 months later. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 22, 621-632.
Johnson, M.W., Richards, W.A., Griffiths, R.R. (2008). Human hallucinogen research: Guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 22, 603-620.
Kirshenbaum, A.P., Johnson, M.W., Schwarz, S.L., Jackson, E.R. (2009). Response disinhibition evoked by the administration of nicotine and nicotine-associated contextual cues. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 105, 97-108.
Johnson, M.W., Bickel, W.K., Baker, F., Moore, B.A., Badger, G.J., Budney, A.J. (2010). Delay discounting in current and former marijuana-dependent individuals. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 18, 99-107.
Independent Extramural Funding| 2009 - 2010 | Development of a Novel Trial-by-Trial Consequence Human Delay Discounting Task R03DA026523 National Institute on Drug Abuse Role: Principal Investigator Notes: This project supports the development of a novel, efficient laboratory assessment of delay discounting in humans. Existing human operant delay discounting tasks have methodological limitations. |
| 2009 - 2011 | Sexual HIV Risk Behavior and Impulsive Decision Making in Cocaine Dependence R21 DA026967 National Institute on Drug Abuse Role: Principal Investigator Notes: This project investigates the behavioral mechanisms associated with the high rates of sexually-transmitted HIV in cocaine dependent individuals. |
| 1997 - 1998 | Various psychology courses, Psychology Department Teaching Assistant (responsible for animal care, grade entry, paper grading, test scoring). Eastern Oregon University |
| 1997 - 1998 | General Psychology, Supplemental Instructor (responsible for grade entry, paper grading, test scoring). Eastern Oregon University |
| 2001 - 2002 | General Psychology, Instructor. University of Vermont |
| 2002 | Psychology of Learning, Instructor (Course included animal learning laboratory component). Saint Michael's College |
| 2002 - 2003 | Medical Student Seminar in Human Behavioral Pharmacology, Guest lecturer: 'Behavior Analysis and Pharmacology.' University of Vermont |
| 2002 | Psychopharmacology, Instructor. University of Vermont |
| 2008 | Current Issues in Public Health, Guest lecturer: 'Hallucinogens: History, Current Research, and Public Health Implications.' Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health |
| 2004 | Symposium: Bickel, W.K. & Johnson, M.W. (Chairs). Delay discounting: Exploring its association with drug dependence. Symposium held at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. Honolulu, HI. |
| 2010 | Symposium: Johnson, M.W. (Chair). Psychopharmacology and public policy. Symposium to be held at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Diego, CA. |
| 2010 | Symposium: Johnson, M.W. & Griffiths, R.R. (Chairs). Therapeutic uses of hallucinogens in the treatment of psychological disorders. Symposium to be held at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Diego, CA. |
| 2010 | Symposium: Johnson, M.W. (Chair). Delay discounting. Symposium to be held at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International. San Antonio, TX. |
| 1998 | Outstanding Psychology Student Award, Eastern Oregon University |
| 2001 | Graduate Student Mini-Grant Travel Award, University of Vermont |
| 2002 | Travel Award for the 9th Annual Graduate Student Workshop in Experimental Economics, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics |
| 2002 | Travel Award for the 64th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, National Institute on Drug Abuse |
| 2003 | Student Paper Award, Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavior Analysis |
| 2003 | Graduate Student Mini-Grant Travel Award, University of Vermont |
| 2003 | Travel Award for the 111th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario Canada, National Institute on Drug Abuse |
| 2004 | Student Presenter Grant for the Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Boston, MA, Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis |
| 2004 | Woman and Gender Differences Travel Award for the 66th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, San Juan, PR, National Institute on Drug Abuse |
| 2006 | Travel Award for the 114th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA, National Institute on Drug Abuse |
| 2007 | Early Career Investigator Award for the 69th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, College on Problems of Drug Dependence |
| 2008 | National Institutes of Health, Extramural Clinical Research Student Loan Repayment Program Award |
| 2008 | Delay discounting in marijuana-dependent individuals. 3rd Annual Meeting of the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis, Harrisonburg, VA, Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis |
Baker, F., Bickel, W.K., & Johnson, M.W. (2001). Delay discounting of money, cigarettes, and health in cigarette smokers: A comprehensive study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 63, Supplement 1, 10.
Bickel, W.K., Johnson, M.W., & Giordano, L.A. (2002). Discounting: An evolved psychological mechanism commandeered in drug dependence? Problems of drug dependence, NIDA Research Monograph, 182, 67-69.
Johnson, M.W., Baker, F., & Bickel, W.K. (2002). Delay Discounting in Ecstasy Users. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 66, Supplement 1, 87.
Johnson, M.W. & Griffiths, Roland, R. (2005). Ramelteon: A viewpoint by Matthew W. Johnson and Roland R. Griffiths. CNS Drugs, 19, 1066-1067.
Johnson, M.W. (in press). Hallucinogens. In Encyclopedia of Lifestyle Medicine and Health. Rippe, J.M. (ed.) Sage Publications.
Johnson, M.W. (in press). Opioids. In Encyclopedia of Lifestyle Medicine and Health. Rippe, J.M. (ed.) Sage Publications.
Johnson, M.W. (in press). Cocaine. In Encyclopedia of Drug Policy. Kleiman, M., Hawdon, J., Golson, J.G. (eds.) Sage Publications.
Johnson, M.W. (in press). Rational addiction model of drug use. In Encyclopedia of Drug Policy. Kleiman, M., Hawdon, J., Golson, J.G. (eds.) Sage Publications.
Johnson, M.W. (in press). Salvia divinorum. In Encyclopedia of Drug Policy. Kleiman, M., Hawdon, J., Golson, J.G. (eds.) Sage Publications.
Johnson, M.W. (in press). Tobacco. In Encyclopedia of Drug Policy. Kleiman, M., Hawdon, J., Golson, J.G. (eds.) Sage Publications.
Presentations at Professional SocietiesJohnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2001). The behavioral economics of cigarette smoking: The concurrent presence of a substitute and an independent reinforcer. Paper presented at the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Study Group Investigating Drugs as Reinforcers. Scottsdale, AZ.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2001). Matching law analysis on police motor vehicle drug searches. Poster presented at the 109th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Francisco, CA.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2001). A within-subject comparison of real and hypothetical rewards in delay discounting research. Poster presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis. New Orleans, LA.
Giordano, L.A., Bickel, W.K. & Johnson, M.W. (2001). Differences in discounting and demand for cigarettes and money after a brief period of abstinence. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis. New Orleans, LA.
Bickel, W.K, Giordano, L.A., & Johnson, M.W. (2001). Reframing behavioral mechanisms with behavioral economics. Paper presented at the 109th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Francisco, CA.
Baker, F., Bickel, W.K. & Johnson, M.W. (2001). Delay discounting of money, cigarettes, and health in cigarette smokers: A comprehensive study. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Scottsdale, AZ.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2002). Risk sensitive foraging in the drug-dependent. Poster presented at the 110th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. Chicago, IL.
Johnson, M.W., Baker, F., & Bickel, W.K (2002). Delay discounting in ecstasy users. Poster presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis. Toronto, Ontario Canada.
Johnson, M.W., Baker, F., & Bickel, W.K (2002). Delay discounting in ecstasy users. Paper presented at the 64th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Yi, R., Baker, F., Johnson, M.W., & Bickel, W.K. (2003). Differentiating current smokers from non-smokers: Comparison of impulsivity and delay discounting measures. Poster presented at the 65th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Bal Harbor, FL.
Plebani Lussier, J., Higgins, S.T., Johnson, M.W., & Heil, S.H. (2003). Delay discounting in pregnant smokers: An initial examination. Poster presented at the 111th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. Toronto, Ontario Canada.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2003). The relative reinforcer efficacy of cigarettes and money: A behavioral economic analysis. Poster presented at the 65th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Bal Harbor, FL.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2003). The behavioral economics of cigarette smoking: The concurrent presence of a substitute and an independent reinforcer. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Student Paper Award presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis. San Francisco, CA.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2003). Pharmacological and nonpharmacological cigarette-smoking stimuli: A behavioral economic analysis. Poster presented at the 111th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. Toronto, Ontario Canada.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2003). Comparison of traditional and behavioral economic measures of relative reinforcer efficacy. Poster presented at the Society for the Quantitative Analyses of Behavior. San Francisco, CA.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2004). Replacing relative reinforcing efficacy with behavioral economic demand curves: Congruence and parsimony despite manipulation of reinforcer magnitude. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis. Boston, MA.
Johnson, M.W., Bickel, W.K, & Baker, F. (2004). Gender differences in delay discounting: Heavy, light, and nonsmokers. Paper presented at the 66th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. San Juan, PR.
Johnson, M.W. & Bickel, W.K. (2004). Delay discounting: A reanalysis and critique of models and assessment. Paper presented at the 112th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. Honolulu, HI.
Roland R. Griffiths, Patricia E. Seuss, & Johnson, M.W. (2005). Ramelteon and triazolam in humans: Behavioral effects and abuse potential. Poster presented at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies 19th Annual Meeting. Denver, CO.
Johnson, M.W., Patricia E. Seuss, & Roland R. Griffiths. (2005). Dose-effect comparison of ramelteon and triazolam: Abuse potential and behavioral effects. Poster presented at the 67th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Orlando, FL.
Johnson, M.W., Strain, E.C., & Griffiths, R.R. (2006). Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and ethanol: Comparison of behavioral, subject-rated, and observer-rated effects in subjects with histories of sedative abuse. Poster presented at the 68th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Scottsdale, AZ.
Johnson, M.W., Carter, L.P., Umbricht, A., & Griffiths, R.R. (2006) Clinical characterization of high dose gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) intoxication. Poster presented at the 114th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. New Orleans, LA.
Johnson, M.W. & Griffiths, R. R. (2007). Effects of acute oral caffeine pretreatment on response to intravenous nicotine in stimulant users. Paper presented at the 2007 Meeting of the Behavioral Pharmacology Society, Washington, DC.
Johnson, M.W., W.K, Baker, F., Moore, B.A., Badger, G.J., Budney, A.J. (2007). Delay discounting in marijuana-dependent individuals. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis. San Diego, CA.
Johnson, M.W., Richards, W. A., Griffiths, R. R. (2007). Human hallucinogen research: Guidelines for safety. Poster presented at the 69th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Johnson, M.W. & Griffiths, R. R. (2007). Multiple choice procedure for drug reinforcement: Comparing different drugs. Paper presented at the 115th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Francisco, CA.
Johnson, M.W., Richards, W. A., Griffiths, R. R. (2007). Human psilocybin research: Guidelines for safety. Paper presented at the 115th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Francisco, CA.
McKerchar, T.L., Heil, S.H., Johnson, M.W., & Higgins, S.T. (2007). Delay discounting of various commodities by cocaine-dependent outpatients: Comparison of two equations and associated measures of discounting. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Quantitative Analyses of Behavior, San Diego, CA.
Griffiths, R.R., Johnson, M.W., Richards, W.A., & McCann, U.D. (2008). Psilocybin occasions mystical-type experiences: Dose effects. Poster presented at the 70th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Johnson, M.W. (2008). Delay discounting in marijuana-dependent individuals. Paper presented at the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Virginia Association for Behavior Analysis. Harrisonburg, VA
Johnson, M.W. & Griffiths, R. R. (2008). Linguistic analysis of psilocybin session narratives. Poster presented at the 70th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Johnson, M.W. & Griffiths, R. R. (2008). Effects of Acute Oral Caffeine on Response to Intravenous Nicotine. Poster to be presented at the 116th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. Boston, MA.
Johnson, M.W., Strain, E. C. & Griffiths, R. R. (2009). Effects of acute oral caffeine pretreatment on response to intravenous nicotine and cocaine in stimulant users. Poster presented at the 71th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Reno, NV.
Dunn, K.E., Saulsgiver, K.A., Sigmon, S.C, Johnson, M.W. (2010). HIV and Hepatitis-C risk among injection and noninjection drug users. Poster to be presented at the 118th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Diego, CA.
Johnson, M.W. (2010). An efficient operant choice procedure for assessing delay discounting in humans. Paper to be presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International. San Antonio, TX.
Johnson, M.W. (2010). Sexual discounting: HIV risk behavior and the discounting of delayed sexual rewards. Poster to be presented at the Society for Quantitative Analysis of Behavior. San Antonio, TX.
Johnson, M.W. (2010). Sexual discounting: HIV/AIDS risk behavior and the delay discounting of sexual rewards in cocaine dependence. Poster to be presented at the 72th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Scottsdale, AZ.
Johnson, M.W. (2010). The Johns Hopkins guidelines for safely conducting human hallucinogen research. Paper presented at Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century. San Jose, CA.
Johnson, M.W. & Griffiths, R. R. (2010) Psilocybin in smoking cessation: a pilot study. Paper to be presented at the 118th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Diego, CA.
MacLean, K., Johnson, M.W., Griffiths, R.R. (2010). Psilocybin-occasioned mystical experience predicts increases in the NEO-PI personality trait of openness. Poster to be presented at the 72th Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Scottsdale, AZ.
Bruner, N.R., Johnson, M.W. (2010). Hypothetical demand curves for cocaine in cocaine-dependent individuals. Paper to be presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Study Group Investigating Drugs as Reinforcers. Scottsdale, AZ.
E-mail contact: mwj@jhmi.edu
Updated: 5/12/2010