Backlash against counter‐stereotypical leader emotions and the role of follower affect in leader evaluations

Abstract

AbstractThe goal of this research was to replicate findings related to followers’ negative evaluations of leaders expressing counter‐stereotypical emotions (e.g., females displaying anger, males displaying sadness). Drawing on predictions of the Challenge versus Threat model, this research also extended those findings by examining whether follower positive and negative affects mediated the relationship between leaders’ counter‐stereotypical emotional displays and followers’ leadership evaluations. In an online experiment, participants completed a reasoning task and received personalized performance feedback from a virtual manager represented by an avatar (male or female) displaying an emotion (neutral, angry, or sad). Participants reported task‐related positive and negative affects and rated their manager (trust, perceived effectiveness, and leader‐member exchange). We replicated previous studies showing that displaying counter‐stereotypical emotions has a negative influence on leadership evaluations. We did not find support for the mediating role of followers’ affects in the relationship between counter‐stereotypical emotional displays and leadership evaluations; although these affects influenced followers’ ratings of their manager. We discuss these findings using Backlash and Role Congruity Theory perspectives and present their theoretical and practical implications.