Christopher Niemiec

Christopher Niemiec

Professor of Psychology

PhD, University of Rochester, 2012

Office Location
436 Meliora Hall

Office Hours: By appointment

Research Overview

Professor Niemiec is not accepting student applications for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Professor Niemiec is interested in human motivation, emotion, and personality in social contexts. His research uses self-determination theory to examine the nature and functional significance of autonomy in a variety of life's domains.

My research focuses on human motivation, emotion, and personality in social contexts from the perspective of self-determination theory. I use experimental methods to examine basic processes in the laboratory. As well, I use cross-sectional and longitudinal methods to test the application of these processes in a variety of life's domains (such as health care, education, and parenting) and cultures (such as Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, and Turkey, among others).

Research Interests

  • University of Rochester. "Developing an intervention to reduce binge drinking in college students based on self-determination theory"
  • Buskerud University College. "Unit leaders' need support, availability of resources, role conflict, and motivation at work"

Courses Offered (subject to change)

  • PSYC 101:  Introduction to Psychology
  • PSYC 181:   Theories of Personality and Psychotherapy
  • PSYC 262:  An Approach to Human Motivation
  • PSYC 301W:  Teaching Psychology

Selected Publications

Recent Publications

  • Williams, G. C., & Niemiec, C. P. (2012). Positive affect and self-affirmation are beneficial, but do they facilitate maintenance of health-behavior change? A self-determination theory perspective. Archives of Internal Medicine, 172, 327-328.
  • Niemiec, C. P., Brown, K. W., Kashdan, T. B., Cozzolino, P. J., Breen, W. E., Levesque-Bristol, C., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). Being present in the face of existential threat: The role of trait mindfulness in reducing defensive responses to mortality salience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99, 344-365.
  • Niemiec, C. P., Ryan, R. M., Patrick, H., Deci, E. L., & Williams, G. C. (2010). The energization of health-behavior change: Examining the associations among autonomous self-regulation, subjective vitality, depressive symptoms, and tobacco abstinence. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5, 122-138.
  • Niemiec, C. P., Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2009). The path taken: Consequences of attaining intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations in post-college life. Journal of Research in Personality, 43, 291-306.
  • Roth, G., Assor, A., Niemiec, C. P., Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2009). The emotional and academic consequences of parental conditional regard: Comparing conditional positive regard, conditional negative regard, and autonomy support as parenting practices. Developmental Psychology, 45, 1119-1142.
  • Williams, G. C., Niemiec, C. P., Patrick, H., Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2009). The importance of supporting autonomy and perceived competence in facilitating long-term tobacco abstinence. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 37, 315-324.
  • Niemiec, C. P., Ryan, R. M., Deci, E. L., & Williams, G. C. (2009). Aspiring to physical health: The role of aspirations for physical health in facilitating long-term tobacco abstinence. Patient Education and Counseling, 74, 250-257.
  • Williams, G. C., Patrick, H., Niemiec, C. P., Williams, L. K., Divine, G., Lafata, J. E., Heisler, M., Tuncelli, K., & Pladevall, M. (2009). Reducing the health risks of diabetes: How self-determination theory may help improve medication adherence and quality of life. The Diabetes Educator, 35, 484-492.
  • Soenens, B., Vansteenkiste, M., & Niemiec, C. P. (2009). Should parental prohibition of adolescents' peer relationships be prohibited? Personal Relationships, 16, 507-530.
  • Niemiec, C. P., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). Autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the classroom: Applying self-determination theory to educational practice. Theory and Research in Education, 7, 133-144.
  • Vansteenkiste, M., Neyrinck, B., Niemiec, C. P., Soenens, B., De Witte, H., & Van den Broek, A. (2007). On the relations among work value orientations, psychological need satisfaction and job outcomes: A self-determination theory approach. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 80, 251-277.
  • Sheldon, K. M., & Niemiec, C. P. (2006). It's not just the amount that counts: Balanced need satisfaction also affects well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 331-341.

Recent Presentations

  • Niemiec, C. P., Ahmad, I., Cheng, Y., Hamarta, E., Özyesil, Z., & Yu, S-H. (2012, April). Provision of choice and grade focus in the written narratives of students from four countries. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, Canada.
  • Niemiec, C. P., & Deci, E. L. (2011, June). Contextual supports for autonomy and the development of high-quality relationships following mutual self-disclosure. Paper presented at the Sixth Self Biennial International Conference, Quebec City, Canada.
  • Niemiec, C. P., & Brown, K. W. (2011, January). Being present in the face of existential threat: Mindful attention reduces defensive responses to mortality salience. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Antonio, TX.
  • Niemiec, C. P. (2010, May). The importance of supporting autonomy to the development of high-quality relationships in the context of self-disclosure. Paper presented at the Fourth International Conference on Self-Determination Theory, Ghent, Belgium.

Select Honors and Distinctions

  • 2012 - 2013, Professor of the Year in the Social Sciences