When Autocratic Leaders Become an Option-Uncertainty and Self-Esteem Predict Implicit Leadership Preferences

被引:49
作者
Schoel, Christiane [1 ]
Bluemke, Matthias [2 ]
Mueller, Patrick [1 ]
Stahlberg, Dagmar [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Mannheim, Sch Social Sci, Dept Social Psychol, D-68131 Mannheim, Germany
[2] Heidelberg Univ, Inst Psychol, Heidelberg, Germany
关键词
uncertainty; leadership style; self-esteem level; self-esteem stability; Implicit Association Test; ASSOCIATION TEST; MORTALITY SALIENCE; INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES; ECONOMIC THREAT; SOCIAL DILEMMAS; NEGATIVE AFFECT; POWER; AUTHORITARIANISM; MANAGEMENT; CONSERVATISM;
D O I
10.1037/a0023393
中图分类号
B84 [心理学];
学科分类号
04 ; 0402 ;
摘要
We investigated the impact of uncertainty on leadership preferences and propose that the conjunction of self-esteem level and stability is an important moderator in this regard. Self-threatening uncertainty is aversive and activates the motivation to regain control. People with high and stable self-esteem should be confident of achieving this goal by self-determined amelioration of the situation and should therefore show a stronger preference for democratic leadership under conditions of uncertainty. By contrast, people with low and unstable self-esteem should place their trust and hope in the abilities of powerful others, resulting in a preference for autocratic leadership. Studies 1 a and 1b validate explicit and implicit leadership measures and demonstrate a general prodemocratic default attitude under conditions of certainty. Studies 2 and 3 reveal a democratic reaction for individuals with stable high self-esteem and a submissive reaction for individuals with unstable low self-esteem under conditions of uncertainty. In Study 4, this pattern is cancelled out when individuals evaluate leadership styles from a leader instead of a follower perspective.
引用
收藏
页码:521 / 540
页数:20
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