Understanding behavior in an increasingly visible world.These projects explore how information shapes what people know, infer, and do across organizations, online communities, and digital platforms.
Information-Seeking and Workplace Eavesdropping
What makes employees listen in on conversations that were not meant for them?
Why Employees Listen In
The Hidden Side of Information-Seeking
How do employees learn what others do not intend to share? Through two experiments with nationally representative U.S. samples, this project investigates why people listen in on workplace conversations and what organizational conditions make eavesdropping more likely. Results show that competition increases employees' willingness to eavesdrop by increasing the perceived value of overheard information, while concerns about social consequences discourage the behavior. The findings challenge the assumption that eavesdropping is simply unethical, instead showing that it often functions as a strategic way for employees to reduce uncertainty and stay informed in complex organizations.
Methods: Experiments, survey research, mediation analysis, quantitative modeling
Skills: Experimental design, causal inference, workplace research, privacy and information behavior, statistical analysis, organizational theory