His primary area of scholarship is organizational behavior with a focus on psychological contracts between organizations, employees, and athletes. His most recent research in this area explores how different modes of communication effect psychological contract development for sport organization employees. In prior research, Dr. Barnhill has examined the impact of psychological contract breaches on student-athletes’ team commitment, satisfaction with their school, trust in their coaches, intentions to transfer, and perceptions of performance. Dr. Barnhill also studied employees’ expectations of their organizations to be socially responsible members of their communities. Outside of his psychological contract research, Dr. Barnhill has developed lines of inquiry examining educational practices in undergraduate and graduate sport management education.