In Short:
Research on social identity and leadership rarely examines leader-ship processes from the perspective of leaders themselves – this study helps to fill this gap
Key findings
Across three studies (experimental, longitudinal and cross-sectional), integrating social identity principles with a reflected appraisals perspective, we find that as individuals come to see themselves as (informal) leaders in a group, it positively affects their own sense of fit to the group prototype.
Their own perceived prototypicality, in turn, yields a strengthened attachment to the group identity. Importantly, we demonstrate this in racial and ethnic minority groups – an understudied context, yet where individuals develop meaningful conceptions of leadership and identification, with implications for their health and commitment to collective action. Altogether, this provides insights on social identity processes, and minority group leadership.
Contact
Michelle Ryan
Director
Intersectionality & identity, Leadership & the Glass Cliff, Relationships & the care economy, The workplace & working lives
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