Social Psychology

Robert Eisenberger

		Professor Director, Social Psychology Graduate Program Ph.D., University of California, Riverside, 1972 Research Interests Recent Publications Representative Publications Website Vita -MS Word file eisenber@udel.edu Office: 225 Wolf Hall (302) 831-2787 (302) 831-3645 -fax Lab: (302) 831-2787 Preferred contact method - email

Research Interests

people’s motivation at work and leisure

Research Summary:

My research interests involve people’s motivation at work and leisure.

Employee Motivation. My organizational support theory (http://pos.psych.udel.edu) holds that (a) employees form general beliefs concerning how much the organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being (perceived organizational support), and (b) based on the norm of reciprocity, employees reciprocate such support with emotional commitment to the organization, work effort in standard job activities, and extra-role performance such as innovative problem solving.

Intrinsic Motivation and Creativity. I study psychological determinants of interest in activities for their own sake and creativity with students, employees, and visitors to museums and parks.  My recent research suggests that (a) there is a basic desire for pleasurable sights, sounds, and smells (need for sensory experience) whose magnitude differs from one individual to another, and (b) reward can be used effectively to increase perceived control over one’s actions, perceived competence, task enjoyment and creativity.

Learned Industriousness. Some individuals generally work harder than others.  My learned industriousness theory states that if an individual is rewarded for putting a large amount of cognitive or physical effort into an activity, the sensation of high effort takes on secondary reward properties that lessen effort’s general aversiveness.   In accord with this view, research indicates that reward for high effort involving one or more activities increases the subsequent effort exerted in other activities by rats, depressed mental patients, learning-disabled and regular pre-adolescent students, and college students.

Recent Publications

Shanock, S. & Eisenberger, R. (2006). When Supervisors feel supported: Relationships with subordinates’ perceived supervisor support, perceived organizational support and performance, Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 689-695.

Eisenberger, R., Jones, J. R., Stinglhamber, F., Shanock, L., & Tenglund, A. (2005). Optimal flow experiences at work: For high need achievers alone? Journal of Organizational Behavior,  26, 755-775.

Eisenberger, R., Lynch., P. , Aselage, J. & Rohdieck, S.  (2004). Who takes the most revenge?  Individual differences in negative reciprocity norm endorsement. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 30, 787-799.

Aselage, J., & Eisenberger, R. (2003). Perceived organizational support and psychological contracts: A theoretical integration. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 24, 491-509.

Representative Publications

Rhoades, L, & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 698-714.

Eisenberger, R., Stinglhamber, F., Vandenberghe, C., Sucharski, I., & Rhoades, L. (2002). Perceived supervisor support: Contributions to perceived organizational support and employee retention. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 565-573.

Eisenberger, R., & Rhoades, L. (2001). Incremental effects of reward on creativity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 728-741.  (Award for the Best Paper on Organizational Behavior at the 2001 Academy of Management Conference).

Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R., & Armeli, S. (2001). Affective commitment to the organization: The contribution of perceived organizational support.  Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 825-836.

Eisenberger, R., Armeli, S., Rexwinkel, B., Lynch, P. D., & Rhoades, L. (2001). Reciprocation of perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 42-51.

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