Stijn Decoster

After my high school teacher training (Mathematics, Physics, and Biology), I had the feeling that I missed something important: I wanted to know more about how humans think and behave, so I started studying psychology. I became especially interested in the research methods that are used by psychologists and therefore I chose the option “Theoretical Psychology” at the KU Leuven. Next, I worked as junior researcher for the Research Group Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOPP) under the supervision of Jeroen Stouten and Thomas M. Tripp (Washington State University). I am primarily interested in leadership and organizational justice. During my PhD, I focussed on the emergence and maintenance of self-interested leadership, and especially the role followers play in these events. Moreover, I focussed on boundary conditions for followers’ reactions to self-serving leaders such as their perceptions of justice levels, the organizational budget policy, as well as the ethical climate of the organization. I also examined how organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) relate to a leader’s hindrance stress, and his/her self-serving behavior.

Education

• Ph.D., KU Leuven, 2007-2014, Psychology
• M.A., University of Leuven, 2007-2010, Master of Management
• M.A., University of Leuven, 2005-2007, Psychology; Major: Theory and Research
• B. A., University of Leuven, 2002- 2005, Psychology
• B. A., Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven, 1999-2002, Teacher Education (Mathematics, Physics, & Biology)

Teaching Areas

HRM

Research and Professional Activities

Organizational behavior, leadership, abusive supervision, self-serving leadership, social dilemmas, organizational justice, organizational trust, ethics