Implicit leadership theories in applied settings: factor structure, generalizability, and stability over time.

By O. Epitropaki, Robin Martin. Journal of Applied Psychology, 2004

657 citations recorded by the source corpus.

The present empirical investigation had a 3-fold purpose: (a) to cross-validate L. R. Offermann, J. K. Kennedy, and P. W. Wirtz's (1994) scale of Implicit Leadership Theories (ILTs) in several organizational settings and to further provide a shorter scale of ILTs in organizations; (b) to assess the generalizability of ILTs across different employee groups, and (c) to evaluate ILTs' change over time. Two independent samples were used for the scale validation (N1 = 500 and N2 = 439). A 6-factor structure (Sensitivity, Intelligence, Dedication, Dynamism, Tyranny, and Masculinity) was found to most accurately represent ELTs in organizational settings. Regarding the generalizability of ILTs, although the 6-factor structure was consistent across different employee groups, there was only partial support for total factorial invariance. Finally, evaluation of gamma, beta, and alpha change provided support for ILTs' stability over time.

Subfields: Gender Studies, Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, Social Psychology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5898b6d351b2e3c056e551e9650f8b2873365eba

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Citations in the corpus

Instrumental leadership: Measurement and extension of transformational–transactional leadership theory (2014, neutral): “These prototypes are widely-shared among observers (Cronshaw & Lord, 1987; Epitropaki & Martin, 2004; Foti, Fraser, & Lord, 1982).”
Self-reliance: A Gender Perspective on its Relationship to Communality and Leadership Evaluations (2017, background): “Self-reliance is an interesting trait to study in the context of leadership evaluations because it appears to be both characteristic and uncharacteristic of people’s beliefs aboutwhatmakes a good leader (Den Hartog, 1999; Epitropaki & Martin, 2004; Javidan, Dorfman, De Luque, & House, 2006).”
The toxic triangle: Destructive leaders, susceptible followers, and conducive environments. (2007, background): “Tyranny and dominance are a negative prototype in implicit leadership theory—most working adults consider despotic control to be the antithesis of desirable leadership (Epitropaki & Martin, 2004).”
How leadership matters: The effects of leaders' alignment on strategy implementation (2010, positive): “However, to an important degree, leadership is a perceptual phenomenon, with followers observing the words and actions of their superiors and making inferences about their motives (Epitropaki & Martin, 2004; Lord, 1985; Pfeffer, 1981).”
Implicit Leadership Theories: Think Leader, Think Effective? (2011, methodology): “, Epitropaki and Martin (2004) set out to cross-validate the findings and develop a shorter implicit leadership theories scale. They came up with a reduced set of items (i.e., 21) and factors (i.e., sensitivity, intelligence, dedication, dynamism, tyranny, and masculinity) that form higher order fac”
What Have We Learned That Is Critical in Understanding Leadership Perceptions and Leader-Performance Relations? (2014, background): “…an extensive body of research shows that ILTs include traits such as intelligence, dominance, sensitivity, strength, charisma, tyranny, and sensitivity, which serve as a template for determining whether or not targets are typical leaders (Epitropaki & Martin, 2004; Lord, Foti, & De Vader, 1984).”
The strong, sensitive type : Effects of gender stereotypes and leadership prototypes on the evaluation of male and female leaders (2008, background): “These eight dimensions represent the most comprehensive examination of the leadership prototype, to date, and have been generally supported by subsequent research (Epitropaki & Martin, 2004).”