Broadly speaking, his research focuses on factors that shape pro-social behavior within teams and organizations. More specifically, his work seeks to better understand motivational and relational triggers of interpersonal competition and conflict within small groups, with the aim of shedding light on how organizations might improve coordination and collaboration among employees. Professor Sheldon’s work has been cited in major media outlets such as NPR, The Economist, Scientific American, and the Financial Times, among others. Oliver has published in a variety of management, social psychology and applied psychology outlets, including Organization Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.