Justin Sprung

PSYC 130: General Psychology

Introduction to the various concepts, theories, and sub-fields within psychology.

PSYC 243: Personality and Individual Differences

Exploration of the major psychological approaches to understanding individual differences in human thinking, feeling, and behavior.

PSYC 349: Research Methods in Psychology

Examination of the ways in which the scientific method is used by psychologists in order to describe, predict, explain, and critically evaluate human behavior.

PSYC 358: Psychology of the Workplace

Overview of the field of Industrial-Organizational Psychology, focusing specifically on how psychology can be used in the workplace to improve worker well-being and performance.

PSYC 430: Applied Psychology

Exploration of the various ways in which psychological theories and research can be used to solve practical problems in everyday life.

• Ph.D. Industrial-Organizational Psychology Bowling Green State University, 2013
• M.A. Industrial-Organizational Psychology Bowling Green State University, 2011
• B.A. Psychology University of Northern Iowa, 2009
• A.A. General Studies North Iowa Area Community College, 2007

I have a broad interest in various workplace issues, from worker stress and well-being to personality and job attitudes. My current research typically falls into the following areas:

Work-Life Balance

My primary research interests focus on how people balance work, family, and leisure activities. Although people often think of work, family, and leisure as three separate domains, each has a large influence on the other.

• An Examination of the Work-Family Interface among Farm Couples

Work Stress and Well-being

I am broadly interested in examining the antecedents and outcomes associated with work stress. For example, what is it about a job that workers find most stressful, and how does this influence their mental and physical health? Furthermore, how does this vary by the type of job one has, the resources available to the worker, and individual personality characteristics?

Unique Populations

The majority of workplace research has focused on full-time organizational employees. However, there are many other populations and  work contexts that are important to understand. For example, farmers, college student employees, self-employed workers, and family business employees represent a few of the populations that I am particularly interested in studying.

Sprung, J. M. (2022). Economic stress, family distress, and work-family conflict among farm couples. Journal of Agromedicine, 27, 154-168. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2021.1944417

Sprung, J. M., & Rogers, A. (2021). Work-life balance as a predictor of college student anxiety and depression. Journal of American College Health, 69, 775-782. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2019.1706540

Sprung, J. M., & Jex, S. M. (2017). All in the family: An examination of work-family enrichment and crossover among farm couples. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22, 218-224. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000033

Sprung, J. M., & Britton, A. R. (2016). The dyadic context of safety: An examination of safety motivation, behavior, and life satisfaction among farm couples. Safety Science, 85, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2016.01.001

Park, Y., & Sprung, J. M. (2015). Weekly work-school conflict, sleep quality, and fatigue: Recovery self-efficacy as a cross-level moderator. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36, 112-127. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1953

Sprung, J. M., Toumbeva, T., & Matthews, R. A. (2015). Family-friendly organizational benefits and practices through the gender lens. In M. Mills (Ed.) Gender and the Work-Family Experience: An intersection of two domains (pp. 227-249). Springer International Publishing. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-08891-4_12

Park, Y., & Sprung, J. M. (2013). Work-school conflict and health outcomes: Beneficial resources for working college students. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 18, 374-394. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033614

Sprung, J. M., & Jex, S. M. (2012). Work locus of control as a moderator of the relationship between work stressors and counterproductive work behavior. International Journal of Stress Management, 19, 271-291. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030320

Sprung, J. M., Sliter, M. T., & Jex, S. M. (2012). Spirituality as a moderator of the relationship between workplace aggression and employee outcomes. Personality and Individual Differences, 53, 930-934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2012.06.011

Conference Presentations

-Student authors in italics

Nguyen, A., Pajic, E., Olsen, T., & Sprung, J. M. (2022). Academic workload and quality of life under the influence of stress and resilience in college students. Poster accepted to the 93rd annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Blackstad, D., Wessels, J., & Sprung, J. M. (2019). Contributors to college student life satisfaction. Poster accepted to the 91st annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Wessels, J., & Sprung, J. M. (2019). Analysis of turnover intentions among food service workers. Poster accepted to the 91st annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Cook, R., Pham, C., & Sprung, J. M. (2019). Effects of personality factors and ostracism on academic and work satisfaction. Poster accepted to the 91st annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Fletcher, K. A., Shore, D. B., Sprung, J. M., Hoffman, A. J., Mattingly, V. P., & Richard, E. M. (2018). I-O in-reach: Awareness of I-O for undergraduates at our own universities. Presented at the 33rd annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Chicago, Illinois.

Sprung, J. M., Rada, T. B., & Salter, N. P. (2018). “Isolated” academics: Challenges faced by I-O faculty in small departments. Presented at the 33rd annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Chicago, Illinois.

Beamsley, A., Arneson, L., Toal, O., & Sprung, J. M. (2018). The effect of work-life balance on mental health in college students. Poster presented at the 90th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Rada, T. B., & Sprung, J. M. (2017). Exploring antecedents of work-school conflict at private and public institutions. Poster to be presented at the 12th international conference for Work, Stress, and Health: Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Sprung, J. M., & Anantharaman, A. (2017). Work-school conflict, core self-evaluations, and college student wellbeing. Poster presented at the 32nd annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Orlando, Florida.  

Duncan, C., Schueler, L., Wildenauer, A., Bossard, E., & Sprung, J. M. (2017). Examining predictors of college student academic motivation. Poster presented at the 89th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Breen, T., Chawota, T., Shija, T., & Sprung, J. M. (2016). Working ‘til its hurting: College students’ experience of work-school conflict. Poster presented at the 88^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Chawota, T., Wehde, Tchalla, K., & Sprung, J. M. (2016). Parent socioeconomic status and prestige: Impact on student career choices. Poster presented at the 88^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Jones, M. R., & Sprung, J. M. (2016). Occupational therapists’ and educators’ perceptions of sensory integration therapy. Poster presented at the 88^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Shija, T., Chawota, T., Breen, T., & Sprung, J. M. (2016). A comparison of college students’ job satisfaction and work motivation. Poster presented at the 88^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Nigam, J. A., Jex, S. M., & Sprung, J. M. (2015). Work-family conflict and strain: Affective organizational commitment as a moderator. Poster presented at the 11^th annual Conference on Occupational Stress and Health: Atlanta, Georgia.

Anantharaman, A., & Sprung, J. M. (2015). Core self-evaluations, workload, and counterproductive behavior: Benefits of Positive Personality. Poster presented at the 87^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Anantharaman, A., Statkevich, M., Breen, T., Curry, J. G., & Sprung, J. M. (2015). Self-employment and work-family conflict: The moderating role of core self-evaluations. Poster presented at the 87^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Anantharaman, A., Basche, D., Lafferty, B., & Sprung, J. M. (2015). The impact of motivation on the relationship between autonomy and job satisfaction. Poster presented at the 87^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Okoneski, A., & Sprung, J. M. (2015). Hiring bias: The effects of gender congruency and agreeablness on perceived competence of job applicants when applying for sex-stereotyped positons. Poster presented at the 87^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association: Chicago, Illinois.

Park, Y., & Sprung, J. M. (2015). Work-school conflict, work-school supportive supervisor behaviors, and wellbeing. Paper presented at the 30^th annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Park, Y., Walters, K. M., Booth, C., & Sprung, J. M. (2014). Student workers’ work-school conflict, sleep quality, and fatigue: A weekly investigation. Paper presented at the Work and Family Researchers Network 2014 Conference: New York, New York.

Sprung, J. M., & Jex, S. M. (2014). An examination of the work-family interface among farm couples. Paper presented at the 29^th annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Honolulu, Hawaii.

Britton, A. R., & Sprung, J. M. (2014). Safety motivation, behavior, and life satisfaction among farm couples. Poster presented at the 29^th annual conference of the society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Honolulu, Hawaii.

Sprung, J. M., & Jex, S. M. (2013). An examination of the work-family interface among farming dayads. Paper presented at the NIOSH Pilot Research Project Symposium, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sprung, J. M., Park, Y., & Jex, S. M. (2013). Work-school conflict’s relation to psychological and physical health outcomes. Poster presented at the 28^th annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Houston, Texas.

Sprung, J. M., & Jex, S. M. (2012). Work locus of control and counterproductive workplace behavior. Poster presented at the 27^th annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: San Diego, California.

Sprung, J. M., Daniels, M. A., Gillespie, J. Z., & Conley, C. (2011). Emotional labor and care work: Antecedents, consequences, and intrinsic motivation. Poster presented at the 26^th annual conference of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Chicago, Illinois.

Sprung, J. M., & Butler, A. B. (2009). The relationship between employment and alcohol consumption among college students. Poster presented at the 4^th annual Research in the Capital: Des Moines, Iowa.