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The strong, sensitive type: Effects of gender stereotypes and leadership prototypes on the evaluation of male and female leaders

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  • Johnson, Stefanie K.
  • Murphy, Susan Elaine
  • Zewdie, Selamawit
  • Reichard, Rebecca J.

Abstract

The disparity between the success of male and female leaders may result from the incongruity between the female sex role and the leadership role. We provide an in-depth test of role congruity theory [Eagly, A. H., & Karau, S. J. (2002). Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. Psychological Review, 109, 573-598] through a mix of qualitative, experimental, and survey methodologies. Our studies identify current male and female leader prototypes and show evidence of both descriptive and prescriptive biases associated with gender in evaluating leaders. In addition, we examined participant sex-type finding that feminine individuals expect that leaders are more sensitive than masculine individuals, who expect that leaders are more masculine, strong, and tyrannical than feminine individuals. Similarly, sensitivity was more strongly associated with female leadership, whereas masculinity, strength, and tyranny were more strongly associated with male leadership. However, for female leaders to be perceived as effective they needed to demonstrate both sensitivity and strength, although male leaders only needed to demonstrate strength.

Suggested Citation

  • Johnson, Stefanie K. & Murphy, Susan Elaine & Zewdie, Selamawit & Reichard, Rebecca J., 2008. "The strong, sensitive type: Effects of gender stereotypes and leadership prototypes on the evaluation of male and female leaders," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 106(1), pages 39-60, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:106:y:2008:i:1:p:39-60
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    1. Alina Georgiana PROFIROIU & Corina Cristiana NASTACÃ, 2016. "The gender influence on leadership style practiced in the Romanian Government?s working apparatus (Office)," REVISTA ADMINISTRATIE SI MANAGEMENT PUBLIC, Faculty of Administration and Public Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 2016(27), pages 74-93, Decembre.
    2. Catherine Eckel & Lata Gangadharan & Philip J. Grossman & Nina Xue, 2021. "The gender leadership gap: insights from experiments," Chapters, in: Ananish Chaudhuri (ed.), A Research Agenda for Experimental Economics, chapter 7, pages 137-162, Edward Elgar Publishing.
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    12. Wang, An-Chih & Chiang, Jack Ting-Ju & Tsai, Chou-Yu & Lin, Tzu-Ting & Cheng, Bor-Shiuan, 2013. "Gender makes the difference: The moderating role of leader gender on the relationship between leadership styles and subordinate performance," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 122(2), pages 101-113.
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    14. Alina Georgiana PROFIROIU & Corina-Cristiana NASTACA & Ariana NASTASEANU, 2020. "Gender Stereotypes In The Romanian Public Administration," Proceedings of the INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 14(1), pages 821-835, November.
    15. Braun, Susanne & Peus, Claudia & Frey, Dieter, 2018. "Connectionism in action: Exploring the links between leader prototypes, leader gender, and perceptions of authentic leadership," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 129-144.
    16. Sy, Thomas, 2010. "What do you think of followers? Examining the content, structure, and consequences of implicit followership theories," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 113(2), pages 73-84, November.
    17. María Alejandra Quirós-Ramírez & Stephan Streuber & Michael J. Black, 2021. "Red shape, blue shape: political ideology influences the social perception of body shape," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, December.
    18. Joyce He & Sonia Kang & Nicola Lacetera, 2019. "Leaning In or Not Leaning Out? Opt-Out Choice Framing Attenuates Gender Differences in the Decision to Compete," NBER Working Papers 26484, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Diestre, Luis & Lumineau, Fabrice & Durand, Rodolphe, 2023. "Litigate or let it go? Multi-market contact and IP infringement-litigation dynamics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    20. Sarah, E. Saint-Michel, 2018. "Leader gender stereotypes and transformational leadership: Does leader sex make the difference?," Post-Print hal-01907935, HAL.
    21. Ying Zhang & Yuting Guo & Aiman Nurdazym, 2023. "How do female CEOs affect corporate environmental policies?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 459-472, January.
    22. Arjun Mitra & Corinne Post & Steve Sauerwald, 2021. "Evaluating Board Candidates: A Threat-Contingency Model of Shareholder Dissent Against Female Director Candidates," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(1), pages 86-110, January.
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    24. Agata Mirowska & Raymond B. Chiu & Rick D. Hackett, 2022. "The Allure of Tyrannical Leaders: Moral Foundations, Belief in a Dangerous World, and Follower Gender," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 181(2), pages 355-374, November.
    25. Oc, Burak & Daniels, Michael A. & Diefendorff, James M. & Bashshur, Michael R. & Greguras, Gary J., 2020. "Humility breeds authenticity: How authentic leader humility shapes follower vulnerability and felt authenticity," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 112-125.

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