Research

Professor Edward Lawler's research interests are group processes, social exchange, power, emotion, and bargaining/negotiation. His current research is on the role of emotions and emotional/affective processes in the development of commitment in social exchange. He has developed and tested a theory of rational cohesion (with Shane Thye and Jeongkoo Yoon) that explains how commitment develops in dyadic exchanges and extended that theory to the network level. He recently developed a general "affect theory of social exchange" that will shape his future research. His main goal is to understand how and when social exchange processes generate micro order and solidarity.

Publications

Articles and Book Chapters:

Edward J. Lawler, Shane Thye, and Jeongkoo Yoon. Forthcoming. "Commitment in Structurally Enabled and Induced Exchange Relations." Social Psychology Quarterly.

Edward J. Lawler and Shane Thye. Forthcoming. "Social Exchange Theory and Emotions." In Handbook of the Sociology of Emotions, edited by Jan E. Stets and Jonathan H. Turner. New York: Springer.

Edward J. Lawler. 2002. "Micro Social Orders." Social Psychology Quarterly. 65(1): 4-17.

Edward J. Lawler. 2001. "An Affect Theory of Social Exchange." American Journal of Sociology 107(2): 321-52.

Edward J. Lawler, Shane R. Thye, and Jeongkoo Yoon. 2000. "Emotion and Group "Cohesion in Productive Exchange." American Journal of Sociology 106: 616-57.

Edward J. Lawler and Shane R. Thye. 1999. "Bringing Emotion Into Social Exchange Theory." Annual Review of Sociology 25:217-44.

Edward J. Lawler and Jeongkoo Yoon. 1998. "Network Structure and Emotion in Exchange Relations." American Sociological Review 63:871-894.

Edward J. Lawler and Jeongkoo Yoon. 1996. "Commitment in Exchange Relations: Test of a Theory of Relational Cohesion." American Sociological Review 61: 89-108.

Edward J. Lawler and Jeongkoo Yoon. 1993. "Power and the Emergence of Commitment Behavior in Negotiated Exchange." American Sociological Review 58: 465-481.

Edward J. Lawler, Cecilia Ridgeway, and Barry Markovsky. 1993. "Structural Social Psychology: An Approach to the Micro-Macro Problem." Sociological Theory 11: 268-290.

Edward J. Lawler. 1992. "Affective Attachments to Nested Groups: A Choice Process Theory." American Sociological Review 57: 327-339.