Preliminary Program

Making Minds Matter at Work

 

The preliminary program for WAOP 2026 brings together research across a broad range of topics in work and organizational psychology. The conference will feature two keynote presentations alongside parallel paper sessions throughout the day. The detailed program, including presentation titles, speakers, and timings, will be published closer to the conference.


Keynote Presentations


Birgit Schyns (NEOMA Business School)

Narcissism and leadership: An overview, three claims, and ideas for future research

In this keynote, I will introduce the personality trait of narcissism and how it is related to (negative) leadership. While narcissism is a concept that is often used, it is also often mis-used. Notably, narcissism is not a uniform concept but consists of different aspects. How narcissistic leaders lead depends on their type of narcissism. The research presented in this keynote differentiates between different types and dimensions of narcissism and their relationship to motivation to lead as well as destructive leadership. The final part of the presentation outlines gaps in what we know so far, future areas of research, and is aimed at inspiring a discussion about the possible impact of work design and technological developments (such as remote work and AI) on how narcissism affects leadership and – by extension – followers.


Jojanneke van der Toorn (Leiden University & Utrecht University)

The Psychology of Inclusive Workplaces: From Policy to Practice

At a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) face growing political and organizational backlash, understanding how inclusive workplaces are built has become increasingly important. Organizations may adopt ambitious DEI policies, yet these do not necessarily translate into employees’ experiences of inclusion. Drawing on research across different forms of diversity, this keynote examines the psychological and organizational processes through which inclusion is produced, experienced, and sustained. I consider how social norms create barriers to inclusion, how organizational policies shape climate and employee experiences, and why policy and practice do not always align. I conclude by considering the role of leadership in bridging this gap.

 


Preliminary Session Themes
The presentation program will consist of parallel sessions covering a broad range of themes in work and organizational psychology. Preliminary session themes include:

Please note: These session themes are preliminary and subject to change. A detailed program including presentation titles, authors, rooms, and exact timings will be published ahead of the conference.