Academic Scientific JournalsImage of ideal leader and their gender. Research report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26881/prog.2024.15.12Keywords:
leader, gender, communion, agency, management styleAbstract
Previous studies show that the stereotype of a leader is connected to the stereotype of masculinity, which includes agency. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the image of an ideal leader is affected by their gender, that is, whether the same traits as well as style of management would be expected from female and male leaders. An experiment was conducted, including three conditions. In the control condition, the participants received a questionnaire that did not specify the gender of the leader, the second condition concerned a female leader, and the third condition – a male leader. The participants rated the importance of traits from the dimensions of agency and communion, as well as the expected management style – democratic or autocratic. 90 students took part in the study. It shows that gender does not differentiate the expectations of a leader. The same traits and management styles are expected from both men and women. In all conditions, the participants rated agency traits as more important than communion traits. The results may prove to be significant in the discussion about the distribution of men and women in management positions.
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