Gaëtane Caesens: “The influence of perceived organizational support on employees' attitudes and behaviors: Examination of a relative perception” (2012-2016)
Perceived organizational support (POS) has been defined as the employees' global beliefs that the organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being (Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, & Sowa, 1986). This topic has been largely investigated in the literature in organizational psychology. Surprisingly, however, social comparison processes intervening in this perception were totally neglected in this literature. Filling this gap, the objective of this research project is to examine the effects of a relative, and not absolute, perception of organizational support on employees’ attitudes and behaviors at work. (Advisor: Florence Stinglhamber)
Marie Courtois: “Ingroup bias and discrimination from high status groups: context influence and underlying processes” (2010-2014)
Discrimination is still very present at the work place. Crandall and Eshleman (2003) propose a heuristic model that predicts expression of the prejudice. Two forces are into play. The first force consists in the suppression of prejudice. That is a motivated attempt to reduce, deny or avoid the expression of prejudice. The second force is justification. It refers to processes that can serve as an opportunity to express prejudice without incurring sanction. These processes will be studied from the perspective of high status groups, namely, managers who have some power in their organizations and in interaction with organizational context. (Advisor: Ginette Herman)
Edwine Goldoni: research project “under construction” (2012-2016). (Advisors: Donatienne Desmette and Ginette Herman)
Dorothée Hanin: “The influence of employer branding on candidates' and employees' attitudes and behaviors” (2007-2013)
The purpose of our research is to understand how candidates and employees perceive communications diffused by a/their company about the benefits (e.g., tangibles and intangibles) it offers as an employer (employer branding) and the influence of these perceptions on their attitudes and behaviors. Moreover, this project aims to study psychological mechanisms that might explain these relationships (i.e. perception of perceived organizational support; feelings of organizational pride). (Advisors: Florence Stinglhamber and Nathalie Delobbe)
Caroline Iweins: “Ageism at work: Impact of social and organizational context” (2008-2012)
The purpose of the present thesis is to investigate the impact of social and organizational context on ageism in the workplace (i.e., the stigmatization and the discrimination of older workers as a group, Butler, 1969). In a first set of studies, we examine experimentally how organizational policies favoring older workers influence ageist attitudes in the workplace. Results showed that, compared to a merit-based treatment, a preferential treatment increased negative attitudes toward older workers. In a second set of studies conducted in real organizational context, we investigate the influence of age-related diversity management as well as the influence of intergenerational contact at work. Results indicated that a multi-age perspective (i.e., a perspective which consider the different generations at work and which celebrate them) and a high-quality contact between age groups in the workplace reduce ageism at work and its negative consequences. (Advisors: Donatienne Desmette and Vincent Yzerbyt)
Géraldine Marique: “Organizational identification and affective commitment: An integrative approach” (2009-2013)
The objective of the present project is threefold. First, we investigate the direction of causality in the relationship between organizational identification and affective organizational commitment. Second, we examine the role of organizational identification in the relationships between affective organizational commitment and its antecedents. Finally, we examine how organizational identification and affective organizational commitment jointly predict employees’ attitudes and behaviors at work. (Advisors: Florence Stinglhamber and Donatienne Desmette)
Virginie Marmier: “Organizational diversity ideologies: Understanding differences related to group status” (2011-2015)
Western societies are becoming more and more culturally diverse. This diversity has various effects on components of professional integration (satisfaction, well-being, job performance, quality of relationships in teams, etc.). The aim of my thesis is to analyze group and organizational processes that could explain these variations. In particular, the creation of a feeling of inclusion in the organization and its impact on workers’ identity dynamics are addressed. (Advisors: Donatienne Desmette and Florence Stinglhamber)
Audrey Remacle: research project “under construction” (2012-2019) (Advisor: Donatienne Desmette).