Dr. Eisenberger was born in New York to Irving Eisenberger and Ruth
(Segal) Eisenberger and earned his doctorate in psychology from the
University of California, Riverside in 1972, where he had already begun
publishing.
He joined the faculty of the State University of New York at Albany
in 1971 before coming to UD in 1978. After retiring from UD in 2010, he
became a professor of psychology and management and leadership at the
University of Houston.
While at UD, Dr. Eisenberger was director of the social psychology
graduate program from 1987 to 1989 and a member of the University
Faculty Senate, the University President’s Task Force on Staff Training
and Development and the University President’s Commission on
Undergraduate Education.
He was a fellow of five divisions of the American Psychological
Association and in 2014 was elected to the Society of Organizational
Behavior. During his career, he published in three major areas:
perceived organizational support, for which he is widely known; interest
and creativity; and learned industriousness.
Dr. Eisenberger is the co-author of Perceived Organizational Support: Fostering Enthusiastic and Productive Employees and author of Blue Monday: The Loss of the Work Ethic in America.
In addition to his dedication to teaching, research and writing, he
was an avid traveler and tennis player, known for his quick wit and
progressive political ideas.
Dr. Eisenberger is survived by his wife of 53 years, Joanne
Eisenberger; brother, Ken Eisenberger; brother-in-law, Ronald Martinez;
and sister-in-law, Janice Sharp. He was preceded in death by his parents
and younger sister, Laura Eisenberger.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Ukraine Emergency Appeal.
To read more about Dr. Eisenberger, see the obituary in the Houston Chronicle.