People Force of Gossip

My research focuses on organizational processes at the micro- and meso-levels of analysis. Specifically, I study the dilemmas between individual and collective interests. For organizations and the individuals and groups that operate within them, finding a balance between own interests, ideas and opinions and those of the larger collective is essential for achieving effective outcomes. I examine the ways in which individuals and groups deal with the challenges and opportunities this creates. As such, my studies focuses on the motivational and contextual factors that drive behavior in settings such as teamwork, negotiation and interpersonal conflict. I examine these factors using laboratory experiments, surveys, and qualitative studies.

I am the chair of the Organizational Behavior Research Group in de Department of Organization Sciences at VU University, Amsterdam. I am the recipient of an NWO VENI Grant and an ERC Consolidator Grant.

Email: b.beersma@vu.nl

Terence's research focuses on understanding the role of gossip and reputation in human cooperative and uncooperative behavior using theories from social, evolutionary, and organizational psychology. Terence's current work aims firstly to answer the question of why people gossip, specifically aiming to understand both selfish and other-regarding motives to engage in gossip. Secondly, Terence aims to answer the question of how individuals react to gossip, specifically aiming to understand how people ascribe motives to gossipers and how people behave towards both gossipers and the subject of gossip. To answer questions about motives to gossip and the consequences of gossip for reputation-based cooperation, Terence uses experimental methods involving scenarios and economic games as well as field studies involving recall, daily diaries, and experience sampling. For more information, visit Terence's website: terencedorescruz.com.

Email: t.dorescruz@vu.nl

Annika‘s research focuses on behavioral ethics and the role of gossip and reputation therein. One line of research examines the influence of gossip on decisions to cheat. Do people cheat less if they know that another person can gossip about their behavior? Does it matter whether the potential gossip sender benefits from the unethical act or not? And to what extent are people concerned about their reputation when making decisions to act unethically? A second line of research aims to examine how reputation management encourages unethical behavior. For example, if you hear from others through gossip about somebody’s reputation as an unethical person to what extent can this foster finding a partner in crime? I am currently involved in conducting behavioral experiments in which I examine these questions.

Email: a.s.nieper@vu.nl

Elena’s research is focused on understanding how individuals use and are affected by gossip in the workplace. She primarily conducts quantitative but also qualitative research. The role of individuals’ social context, predispositions, motives, emotions, and cognitions, as well as their outcomes are examined to better understand the benefits and drawbacks of workplace gossip. Elena has finished her PhD at the University of Groningen, and has worked as a postdoctoral researcher at King’s Business School, London. 

Email: e.martinescu@vu.nl

Martina’s primary research interest focuses on human cooperation in the context of social dilemmas. In her work, she investigates how both exogenous(e.g., gossip, group composition, organisational/network structure, information flow, reputation) and endogenous (e.g., personality traits) factors affect the evolution of cooperation. Currently, she has two pipelines of work: 1. she is interested in understanding how conspiracy theories evolve and which factors could prevent their formation; 2. she is investigating which interventions can promote a more sustainable use of the resources, under the lens of climate change. She employs agent-based models as well as experimental and survey methods. 

Email: m.testori@vu.nl

My research focuses on the social psychological aspects of group processes and intergroup relations, in an organizational context. I study the motivational underpinnings and implications of social identity processes, in particular for individuals who are devalued or stereotyped. My research interests and projects revolve around two interrelated themes: 1. Intragroup morality and norm violations; 2. Inter- and intragroup diversity, including gender diversity in academia. I am particularly interested in developing evidence-based interventions to obtain equal gender representation in teams and organisations. In answering these questions, I use different measures and methods (e.g. implicit and explicit measures, psycho-physiological measures, lab experiments, field studies, surveys).

Email: r.vander.lee@vu.nl

My research focuses on conflict and conflict management in organizations at the individual and small group level. More specifically I study the antecedents and consequences of taking conflict personally in order to get a better understanding of how to preserve the positive consequences of conflict while avoiding its negative outcomes in terms of individual and organizational performance and well-being. Within this area, the role of gossip in managing conflict at the workplace is a related and very relevant topic I am working on.

Email: m.t.m.dijkstra@vu.nl

From the first beginnings of the 'Force of Gossip' project, I worked closely with all researchers in my job as a research assistant. My responsibility is to help all researchers in every stage of their study in a great variety of ways (e.g. writing data-management plans, preparing questionnaires, data-collecting, etc.). Apart from assisting I am a Masters student in Sociology (VU) and a Research Masters student in Migration, Ethnic Relations and Multiculturalism (UU). As an aspiring researcher, I am interested in how people, especially migrants, cope with conflicting interests. I study conflicts in an interpersonal context, both with ethnic majorities and ethnic minorities. For more information about me, please visit my LinkedIn page.