Research
My research explains how people gain—or fail to gain—access to supportive workplace relationships, developmental resources, fair evaluation, and voice. I study uncertain relational moves: forming ties across demographic boundaries, seeking or receiving feedback, and voicing difficult concerns. Across projects, I connect moment-to-moment judgments and responses to patterns in dyads, teams, and networks, showing how everyday exchanges accumulate into differences in learning, inclusion, influence, and opportunity. Current research questions include:
Ties across difference: What motivates interracial friendships at work?
Voice and authenticity: How does psychological alignment lead people to challenge those in power?
Feedback and growth mindset: What makes some people more (or less) resistant to work-related uncertainty?
Published Journal Articles
Brodsky, A.*, Lee, M. J.*, & Leonard, B. Discovering new frontiers for dyadic and team interaction studies: Current challenges and an open-source solution—SurvConf—for increasing the quantity and richness of interactional data. Academy of Management Discoveries, 8(3): 337-340. doi:10.5465/amd.2021.0257
*Authors contributed equally to this manuscript, alphabetical order.
Lee, M. J., Kouchaki, M., & Brodsky, A. (in press) Speaking from the self: How state authenticity increases subjective agency and challenging voice. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Manuscripts under Review
(Titles withheld in accordance with double-blind peer-review protocol)
Hussain, I.*, Lee, M. J.*, & Burris, E. [Voice topics: What do employees speak up about?]. Revise & Resubmit (second round) at Academy of Management Journal.
*Authors contributed equally to this manuscript, alphabetical order.
Lee, M. J. & Harrison, D. A. [The role of exploratory resource investment in interracial friendships at work] Under first-round review at Organization Science.
Romney, A., Rochford, K., Cooper, M., Bergeron, D., & Lee, M. J. [Role of relational listening behavior in voice non-endorsement] Under first-round review at Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Manuscripts in Preparation for Submission
(Titles withheld in accordance with double-blind peer-review protocol)
Lebel, R. D., Yang, X., Lee, M. J., & Parker, S. K. [The role of growth mindset in finding hope during times of uncertainty]
Longmire, N. H., Ma, A., & Lee, M. J. Politically correct but failing to connect? Self-censoring with cultural minorities as a barrier to relational closeness.
Lee, M. J., Sung, H., & Harrison, D. A. [The role of growth mindset in interracial friendships at work]
Selected Working Papers
Lee, M. J., Sohn, W., & Brodsky, A. Towards a virtually diverse workplace: The dynamics of dyadic relational history and virtual communication media richness on interracial-friendships. Status: Additional data collection.
Lee, M. J. & Harrison, D. A. A closer look at interracial-bridging friendships: Unveiling the influence of team inclusion on workplace social connection. Status: Additional data collection.
Google Scholar Profile link
Curriculum Vitae link
Last Updated Aug 2026