I/O Psychology Faculty

James A. Breaugh
Professor of Management
Ph.D., 1977, Ohio State University
jbreaugh@umsl.edu

My recent research has primarily focused on employee recruitment and selection, work-family issues, and applied measurement topics. I enjoy applying academic research findings in real world settings. Despite my love for the life of a professor, recent trips to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Bryce, Zion, Arches, and Grand Canyon national parks have made me question whether I was really meant to be a park ranger.

Thomas D. Fletcher
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., 2005, Old Dominion University
FletcherT@umsl.edu

My research interests involve the study of motivation applied to work and research methods useful to I/O psychology. More specifically, I have conducted research investigating the interaction of personality and competitive work environments, citizenship performance and group processes. I continue to study the effects of competition on attitudes, performance, and well-being. I teach courses in motivation, organizational psychology, psychometric theory, and multivariate statistics.

Michael M. Harris
Thomas Jefferson Professor of Management
Ph.D., 1984, University of Illinois-Chicago
mharris@umsl.edu

My research focuses on how people make applied judgments and decisions in the workplace with regard to compensation and hiring. I also look at how applicants and employees respond to these kinds of decisions in terms of satisfaction and perceptions of fairness. In the last few years, my focus has been on cross-cultural aspects of these judgments and decisions.

Therese Macan
Associate Professor
Director of Industrial/Organizational Doctoral Program
Ph.D., 1989, Rice University
Therese.Macan@umsl.edu

My research applies psychological principles to the recruitment and selection of individuals. Working with graduate students, I have investigated applicant and employee reactions to the employment interview and have examined a variety of means of improving the employment interview overall and for applicants with disabilities so organizations can better select the most qualified. I also have a strong interest in the area of time management. I have developed a model and measure of time management, and continue to explore individuals’ time management behaviors.

Stephanie M. Merritt
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., 2007, Michigan State University
merritts@umsl.edu

My overarching research goals are to improve the conceptualization and measurement of organization-related attitudes and to answer the question, "When and how do job attitudes affect behavior in organizations?" Job attitudes as a category include such factors as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational identification, and perceptions of fit. I most often study these and other attitudes in relation to turnover, diversity & fairness, and intelligent technology use. Consistent with progress in social psychology, I am beginning to look at implicit attitudes (i.e., automatically-activated and/or unconscious attitudes) and their effects on organizational behavior.

Miles L. Patterson
Professor
Ph.D., 1968, Northwestern University
miles_patterson@umsl.edu

I am social psychologist primarily interested in the role of nonverbal communication in interaction and influence. Recent projects include the following: (1) studies of the subtle behavioral adjustments in pedestrians as they pass one another on the sidewalk; (2) factors affecting accuracy in rapid social judgments; (3) effects of cell phone usage by pedestrians on their social sensitivity; and (4) effects of nonverbal cues on preference for candidates in the Presidential debates. In addition, I am interested in cultural differences in nonverbal communication and in developing unobtrusive behavioral measures as alternatives to the pervasive use of self-report measures in research.

Ekin K. Pellegrini
Assistant Professor of Management
Ph.D., 2006, University of Miami
pellegrinie@umsl.edu

My research focuses on interpersonal relationships in organizations and the generalizability of management practices across different societal cultures. I have conducted research in Turkey, U.S., India, and Malaysia studying universal as well as indigenous management practices. Within this broad area, my major interests center on delegation, mentoring and leadership.

Mark E. Tubbs
Associate Professor
Ph.D., 1985, University of Houston
tubbsm@umsl.edu

My interests lie in the broad area of organizational psychology, and I have published research on the topics of work motivation, job attitudes, and non-verbal behavior. My teaching preferences are in the areas of graduate and undergraduate statistics, research methods, and organizational psychology.