Avraham Kluger

Avraham (Avi) Natan Kluger is a full professor of Organizational Behavior at the Hebrew University Business School. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science and a member of the by-invitation-only Society for Organizational Behavior.

Kluger is an expert in Organizational Behavior, and his area of research focuses on the dangers of feedback and the benefits of listening in relationships and at work. In his papers, Prof. Kluger has shown that even positive feedback from a supervisor to an employee can diminish employee performance. His research suggests the remedy to the harmful effects of feedback is listening and asking questions. He proposes that good listeners are often perceived as good supervisors with high performance.

Prof. Kluger’s research has been published in leading outlets such as Psychological Bulletin, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and the Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior. He also published in the Harvard Business Review, Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Molecular Psychiatry, Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, Management Research: Journal of the Iberoamerican Academy of Management, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Organizational Dynamics, International Journal of Listening, European Journal of Social Psychology, Human Resource Management Review, Medical Education, Journal of Constructivist Psychology, and Journal of Business and Psychology. His book Commuting Stress (Springer) was published in 1995.

Prof. Kluger won the 2019 Outstanding Reviewer Award from the Academy of Management Discoveries; the 1996 Outstanding Paper in Organizational Behavior from the Organizational Behavior Division of the Academy of Management (with Angelo DeNisi), and the first William A. Owens Scholarly Achievement Award for Best Publication in Industrial and Organizational Psychology during 1996 by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, also with Angelo DeNisi. Additionally, he has been the recipient of several academic grants, including from the Israel Science Foundation, the Bi-National Science Foundation, Nidersachesen, US Army Institute, the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace, the Middle East Regional Cooperation (US government), the European Commission, the German Israeli Fund, Bank Leumi, and the Foundations Trustees. His work has been cited by New Yorker, Forbes, Inc, Haaretz, the Chicago Tribune, and Globes.

Prof. Kluger earned his Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from the Stevens Institute of Technology. He holds an MA in Social and Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Bar-Ilan University and a BA in Psychology and the Humanities from Tel Aviv University.

In addition to his academic experience, Prof. Kluger has served in consulting positions for various companies and organizations, including the Israeli Prime Minister’s Bureau, the Israeli Police, the Israeli Defense Forces, AT&T, Philips Lighting Company, Ericson, Previa, Achmea, the Umbrella Organization of Community Centers [Chevra LeMatnasim], Intel, Bank Leumi, ORT schools, and SodaStream.

Prof. Kluger teaches the courses Managerial Listening Skills, Theoretical Dimensions in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, and various Research Methods for Ph.D. Students.

Research summary

Prof. Avi Kluger inquires into the mechanisms allowing listening to create the fleeting magic of connection, facilitating creativity and building relationships. He also probes into what prevents people from listening well, including concerns with status, second-hand trauma, and fear of change. He applies statistical tools such as meta-analyses and social relations models to provide greater confidence in findings and greater complexity in understanding processes transpiring in listener-speaker dyads, at work, and in life in general.

Education

• Ph.D. (1989). Applied Psychology Program (Industrial and Organizational Psychology) in the Management Department. Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey.
• M.A. (1985). Social and Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
• B.A. (1983). Psychology and General Studies in the Humanities. Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel.

Publications

ARTICLES

• Kluger, A. N., & Zaidel, K. (in press). Are listeners perceived as leaders? International Journal of Listening.
• Van Dijk, D., & Kluger, A. N. (2011). Task type as a moderator of positive/negative feedback effects on motivation and performance: A regulatory focus perspective. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(8), 1084-1105. doi: 10.1002/job.725
• Bouskila-Yam, O., & Kluger, A. N. (2011). Strength-based performance appraisal and goal setting. Human Resource Management Review, 21(2), 137-147. doi: DOI 10.1016/j.hrmr.2010.09.001
• Kluger, A. N., & Nir, D. (2010). The feedforward interview. Human Resource Management Review, 20(3), 235-246. doi: DOI 10.1016/j.hrmr.2009.08.002
• Davidson, O. B., Eden, D., Westman, M., Cohen-Charash, Y., Hammer, L. B., Kluger, A. N., Krausz, M., Maslach, C., O'Driscoll, M., Perrewé, P. L., Quick, J. C., Rosenblatt, Z., & Spector, P. E. (2010). Sabbatical Leave: Who Gains and How Much? Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(5), 953-964. doi: Doi 10.1037/A0020068.
• Kluger, A. N., & Van Dijk, D. (2010). Feedback, the various tasks of the doctor, and the feedforward alternative. Medical Education, 44(12), 1166-1174. doi: DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2010.03849.x
• Kluger, A. N., Nir, D., & Kluger, Y. (2008). Personal Position Repertoire (PPR) from a bird's eye view. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 21, 223-238.
• Kluger, A. N., Stephan, E., Ganzach, Y., & Hershkovitz, M. (2004). The effect of regulatory focus on the shape of probability-weighting function: Evidence from a cross-modality matching method. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 95(1), 20-39.
• Van-Dijk, D., & Kluger, A. N. (2004). Feedback sign effect on motivation: Is it moderated by regulatory focus? Applied Psychology: An International Review, 53(1), 113-135.
• Kluger, A. N., Siegfried, Z., & Ebstein, R. P. (2002). A meta-analysis of the association between DRD4 polymorphism and novelty seeking. Molecular Psychiatry, 7(7), 712-717.
• Kluger, A. N., & Tikochinsky, J. (2001). The Error of Accepting the "Theoretical” Null Hypothesis: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Commonsense Hypotheses in Psychology, Psychological Bulletin, 127(3), 408–423.
• Ganzach, Y., Kluger, A.N., & Klaynman, N. (2000). Making Decisions from an Interview: Expert Measurement and Mechanical Combination, Personnel Psychology, 53, 1-20.
• DeNisi, A., & Kluger, A.N. (2000). Feedback Effectiveness: Can 360-Degree Appraisals be Improved?, Academy of Management Executive, 14, 129-139.
• Bamberger P., Kluger, A.N., & Suchard, R. (1999). Antecedents and Consequences of Union Commitment: A Meta-analysis. Academy of Management Journal, 42, 304-318.
• Kluger, A.N. (1999). "The Psychology of Resistance to Change” by S. Fox (1998): A book review, Megamot (Hebrew), Mem(1), 172-174.
• Kluger, A. N. (1998). Commute Variability and Strain. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 19, 147-165.
• Kluger, A. N., & DeNisi, A. (1998). Feedback interventions: Toward the understanding of a double-edged sword. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 7, 67-72.
• Judge, T. A., Locke, E. A., Durham, C. C., & Kluger A. N. (1998). Dispositional effects on job and life satisfaction: The role of core evaluations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 17-34.
• Kluger, A. N., & DeNisi, A. (1996). The Effects of Feedback Interventions on Performance: Historical Review, a Meta-Analysis and a Preliminary Feedback Intervention Theory. Psychological Bulletin, 119, 254-284.
• Kluger, A. N., Lewinshon, S. & Aiello, J. (1994). The influence of feedback on mood: Linear effects on pleasantness and curvilinear effects on arousal. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 60, 276-299.
• Kluger, A. N., & Rothstein, H. (1993). The influence of selection test type on applicant reactions to employment testing. Journal of Business and Psychology, 8, 3-25.
• Kluger, A. N., & Colella, A. (1993). Beyond the mean bias: The effect of warning against faking on biodata item variances. Personnel Psychology, 46, 763-780.
• Kluger, A. N., & Adler, S. (1993). Person- versus computer-mediated feedback, Computers in Human Behavior, 9, 1-16.
• Kluger, A. N., Reilly, R. R., & Russell, C. (1991). Faking biodata tests: Are option-keyed instruments more resistant?, Journal of Applied Psychology, 76, 889-896.
• Kluger, A. N., & Koslowsky, M. (1988). Commitment and academic success. Social Behavior and Personality, 16, 121‑125.
• Koslowsky, M., Kluger, A. N., & Yinon, Y. (1988). Predicting behavior: Combining intentions with investment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 73, 102‑106.
• Koslowsky, M., & Kluger, A. N. (1986). Commitment to participation in musical activities: An extension and application of the investment model. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 16, 831‑844.

BOOKS

• Koslowsky, M., Kluger, A. N., Reich, M. (1995). Commuting Stress. Plenum: NY.

BOOK CHAPTERS

• Kluger, A. N., & Sagiv, L. (2005). The influence of values on willingness to cooperate among Israeli and Jordanian businesspersons [in Hebrew]. In S. Shamir (Ed.), Academic Research on Regional Cooperation (pp. 53-81). Tel Aviv: Ramot - Tel Aviv University.
• Kluger, A. N., & Ganzach, Y. (2004). Two Faces of Excellence: Perfection versus Eminence. In G. B. Graen (Ed.), New Frontiers of Leadership (pp. 67-97). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing
• A REPRINT OF A 1998 PAPER – SEE ARTICLES ABOVE. Kluger, A. N., & DeNisi, A. (2004). Feedback Interventions: Towards the Understanding of a Double-Edged Sword. Reprinted. In T. F. Oltmanns & R. E. Emery (Eds.), Current Directions in Abnormal Psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
• Ebstein, R. P., Kluger, A. N., & Siegfried, Z. (2003). DRD4 Box score. In D. Cooper (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the Human Genome. London: Macmillan Reference Books.
• Kluger, A. N. (2001). Feedback-expectation discrepancy, arousal and locus of cognition. In M. Erez, U. Kleinbeck, & Hk. Thierry (Eds.) Work Motivation in the Context of a Globalizing Economy. Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Wasserman, V., Rafaeli, A., & Kluger, A. N. (2000). Symbols as Emotional Cues, in S. Fineman (Ed.) Emotion in Organizations (2nd Edition). SAGE: London.
• Kluger, A. N., & Rafaeli, A. (2000). Affective Reactions to Physical Appearance. In N. Ashkanasy, C.E.J. Hartel, & W.J. Zerbe (Eds.). Emotions and organizational life. Greenwood Publishing Group: Westport, CT.
• Kluger, A. N., Adler, S., & Fay, C. (1992). Computerized Feedback Effects on Feedback Seeking, Performance and Motivation. In M. I. Nurminen & G. R. S. Weir (Eds.). Human Jobs and Computer Interfaces. pp. 131‑145. Amsterdam: North Holland. {Best proceedings papers selected for the book - see below}.
• Kluger, A. N., Adler, S. & Fay, C. (June, 1991). Computerized Feedback Effects on Feedback Seeking, Performance and Motivation. Preceding of the Conference on Human Jobs and Computer Interfaces, Tampere, Finland: University of Tampere, 359-372.

PRESENTATIONS

• Kluger, A. N. (2013, May). Imagine the future world where supervisors are listening In Castro, D. R. (Chair) Imagine the workplace where listening becomes second nature, A symposium to be presented at the 16th congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, Münster, Germany.
• Castro, D. R., Dolev, A., & Kluger, A. N. (2012, July). Can being listened to make employees happier? A poster presented at the 6th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Moscow.
• Castro, D. R., & Kluger, A. N. (2012, July). Can being listened to make you feel safe? A poster presented at the 6th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Moscow.
• Bouskila-Yam, O., & Kluger, A. N. (2011, December). The Facilitating Listening Scale (FLS). In Kluger, A. N. (Chair) Listening, A symposium to be presented at the 1st Israel Organizational Behavior Conference. Tel Aviv, Israel.
• Castro, D. R., & Kluger, A. N. (2011, December). Can a 3-Minutes Listening Make You Safe? In Kluger, A. N. (Chair) Listening, A symposium to be presented at the 1st Israel Organizational Behavior Conference. Tel Aviv, Israel.
• Dolev, A., & Kluger, A. N. (2011, December). The Effects of Supervisors Listening on Subordinates Well-Being. . In A.N. Kluger (Chair) Listening. Symposium conducted at the 1st Israel Organizational Behavior Conference. Tel Aviv, Israel.
• Kluger, A. N. (2011, December). Facilitating Listening: A Quantitative Review, a Qualitative Review, and a Theory. In Kluger, A. N. (Chair) Listening, A symposium to be presented at the 1st Israel Organizational Behavior Conference. Tel Aviv, Israel.
• Van-Dijk, D., & Kluger, A. N. (2009, August). Does task type moderate the effect of feedback sign on motivation and performance?. Paper presented at the Academy of Management, Chicago.
• Nir, D., & Kluger, A. N. (2008, August). The Negotiational Self Theory: From mayhem and inner conflict to harmony and integration within a dialogical self. Paper presented at the The 5th International Conference on the Dialogical Self, Cambridge, UK.
• Rechter, E., & Kluger, A. N. (2008, July). Feedforward Intervention: Theoretical Model and Empirical Examination. Paper presented at the 4th European Conference on Personality, Tartu, Estonaia.
• Kluger, A. N. (2006). Feed-forward First, Feedback Later, A keynote lecture given at the 26th International Congress of Applied Psychology. Athens, Greece.
• Kluger, A. N. & Nir, D. (2006). Feed-forward First, Feedback Later, A workshop given at the 26th International Congress of Applied Psychology. Athens, Greece.
• Kluger, A. N. (2006, July). Feedforward in management: provoking a conflict between dormant and dominant voices, toward inner resolutions. Paper presented at the 26th International Congress of Applied Psychology, Athens.
• Nir, D., & Kluger, A. N. (2006, July). The "negotiational self": Resolving inner conflict with integrative (win-win) strategies. Paper presented at the 26th International Congress of Applied Psychology, Athens, Greece.
• Kluger, A. N., Nir, D., & Kluger, Y. (2006, June). Personal Position Repertoire (PPR) from a bird's eye view. Paper presented at the Fourth International Conference on the Dialogical Self.
• Kluger, A. N. (April, 2004). Needs: the dictators of the motivational processes machinery. Paper presented at the 19th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicago.
• Levontin, L., & Kluger, A. N. (April, 2004). A comparison between the predictions of goal orientation theory and self regulation theory regarding the effect of feedback sign on motivation. Paper presented at the 19th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicago.
• Van-Dijk, D., & Kluger, A. N. (April, 2003). Feedback Gains: Success in Creative Tasks and Failure in Error-Detection. Paper presented at the 18th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Orlando, FL.
• Kluger, A. N., Stephan, E., & Ganzach, Y. (July, 2002). The effect of regulatory focus on subjective probability. A paper presented in the Conference on Cognitive Psychology and on Judgment and Decision Making at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem
• Van-Dijk D., & Kluger, A. N. (December, 2001). Promotion-focused feedback versus prevention-focused feedback: When and for what class of employees each feedback type is more (less) effective? (in Hebrew). A paper presented at the 13th Israeli annual conference on Human Resource Management, Kfar HaMaccabia, Israel.
• Van-Dijk D., & Kluger, A. N. (April, 2001). Learning Orientation versus Self-Regulation: Different Labels or Different Constructs? A paper presented at the 16th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San Diego, CA.
• Wasserman, V., & Kluger, A. N. (April, 2001). Power-related emotions expressed towards aesthetics of service organizations, A paper presented at the 16th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San Diego, CA.
• Kluger, A. N. & Rafaeli, A. (April, 2001). Can happiness be bad for business? A paper presented at the 16th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San Diego, CA.
• Kluger, A. N., Yaniv, I., & Kuhberger, A. (February, 2001). Promotion focus reverses risk preference. A paper presented at the 2nd Annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, San Antonio, TX.
• Van-Dijk D., & Kluger, A. N. (April, 2000). Positive (Negative) Feedback: Encouragement or Discouragement? A paper presented at the 15th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New Orleans, LA.
• Wasserman, V., Rafaeli, A., & Kluger, A. N. (April, 2000). Aesthetics Symbols as Emotional Cues, A paper presented at the 15th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New Orleans, LA.
• Kluger, A. N. (April, 2000). Needs, self-regulation, and risk taking. A paper presented at the 15th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New Orleans, LA.
• Kluger A. N., Rafaeli, A., & Greenfeld, I. (April, 1999). Emotions (Arousal) and Service Delivery Landscape: The Effect of Stock Variety on Shopper's Behavior in Clothing Stores. A paper presented at the 14th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
• Rafaeli, A. & Kluger A. N. (August, 1998) Managing Emotions: Contextual cues of Warmth, Activity, and Power in Service Organizations. A paper presented at the 1998 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, San Fransico, CA.
• Kluger, A. N., Rafaeli, A. & Wasserman, V. (April, 1998). Emotions, Cognitive Guides and Service Delivery Landscape: The influence of service context on the quality of service transactions. A paper presented at the 13th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Dallas, TX.
• Tikochinsky, J., & Kluger, A. N. (April, 1997). The Error of accepting the null hypothesis In I/O Psychology. A paper presented at the 12th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, St. Louis, MO.
• Kluger, A. N. (May, 1996). Feedback-expectation discrepancy, arousal and attention to the self. A paper presented in Kanfer, Ruth (Chair). A symposium: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON FEEDBACK at the11th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San-Diego, CA.
• Kluger, A. N. (February, 1996). Feedback Intervention Theory: How Feedback-Induced Motivations Retard Task Performance? A Paper Presented at the 1996 Conference on "Work Motivation in the Face of the Global World: Theory Development, Empirical Testing, and Practical Implications.” Ein-Gedi, ISRAEL.
• Kluger, A. N. (August, 1994). The Destructive Effects of Praise. A paper presented at the 1994 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Dallas, TX.
• Kluger, A. N. & Colella, A. (May, 1993). The construct behind faking biodata tests: Social Desirability or Job Desirability? A paper presented at the 8th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San-Francisco, CA.
• Kluger, A. N. & Colella, A. (May, 1993). Beyond the Mean Bias: The Effect of Faking on Biodata Item Variances. A paper presented at the 8th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San-Francisco, CA.
• Block, C., & Kluger, A. N. (May, 1993). Mitigating the Negative Effect of Outcome Feedback on Multiple Cue Probability Learning task. A paper presented at the 8th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San-Francisco, CA.
• Kluger, A. N. (May, 1993). A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Feedback Interventions on Performance. A paper presented at the 8th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San-Francisco, CA.
• Kluger, A. N. (November, 1992). Commute Predictability and Strain. A paper presented at the 2nd APA/NIOSH Conference, Washington, DC.
• Kluger, A. N., Lewinshon, S. & Aiello, J. (May, 1992). The Curvilinear Effect of Performance Feedback on Arousal. A paper presented at the 7th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Montreal, Canada.
• Kirkhoff K., Lin S., Aiello, J. R., & Kluger, A. N. (June, 1991). Feedback and mood, A paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychological Society, Washington, DC.
• Kluger, A. N., Adler, S. & Fay, C. (June, 1991). Computerized Feedback Effects on Feedback Seeking, Performance and Motivation. Preceding (sic) of the Conference on Human Jobs and Computer Interfaces, Tampere, Finland: University of Tampere, 359-372.
• Kluger, A. N, & Rothstein, H. (April, 1991). The Influence of selection test type on applicant reactions to employment testing. A paper presented at the 6th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, St. Louis, Missouri.
• Kluger, A. N. (July, 1990). Recent Developments in Worker Motivation. A paper presented at the Asia-Pacific Human Resources Management Conference, Singapore.
• Kluger, A. N. (July, 1990). Technology: The Workplace in the 1990's and Implications for Personnel. A paper presented at the Asia-Pacific Human Resources Management Conference, Singapore.
• Kluger, A. N., Adler, S. & Fay, C. (April, 1990). Person-versus Computer-Mediated Performance Feedback: Effects on Feedback Seeking, Performance and Motivation. A paper presented at the 5th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Miami Beach, Florida.
• Kluger, A. N. (April, 1989). Negative and Positive Effects of Feedback on Motivation: The Role of Control and Individual Differences. A paper presented at the 4th annual convention of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Boston, Massachusetts.
• Kluger A.N., Makhamreh, M., & Gharaibeh, H. (June, 1988). The Prospects of Business Cooperation between Jordan and Israel: The Attitudes of Business Leaders in Both Countries. A paper presented in a conference organized by the Truman Institute (Aqabah, Jordan).
• Kluger, A. N., & Koslowsky, M. (August, 1985). A Predictive Study of Commitment to Music. A paper presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Los Angeles, California.

Honors And Awards

• The 1996 Outstanding Paper in Organizational Behavior awarded by the Organizational Behavior Division of the Academy of Management (presented August 1997 in Boston) with Angelo DeNisi.
• The first William A. Owens Scholarly Achievement Award for the best publication in field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology during 1996 by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (presented April 1998 in Dallas) with Angelo DeNisi.
• Finalist. 2000 Academy of Management Executive Best Paper with Angelo DeNisi.
• Fellow. 2002. Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
• Fellow. 2002. American Psychological Association.
• Fellow. 2002. American Psychological Society.
• Outstanding teaching evaluations: Research Method class 2004/5 rated 2nd out of 85 classes;
• The 2009 Award for Best Competitive Paper by the Organizational Behavior Division of the Academy of Management with Dina Van-Dijk.
• 2012 Citation of the Hebrew University's Rector for outstanding teaching evaluations.