Congruity Theory Research Articles

Against the Green Schema: How Gen‐AI Negatively Impacts Green Influencer Posts

ABSTRACTThe current research examines the impact of using AI‐generated images (vs. real photographs) in social media posts of green influencers, by relying on schema congruity theory. Three experimental studies show that compared to posts using real photographs, posts that use AI‐generated images are less likely to receive favorable consumer responses. This effect arises from incongruity between gen‐AI and the green schema activated by the post, which causes a) lower perceived appropriateness of a gen‐AI image to the green context, leading to b) lower perceived authenticity of the post. In attempting to counter this negative impact of the use of AI, a reason for the use of gen‐AI is ineffective but images generated by purpose‐built AI that aligns with the green cause fully mitigates the observed issue. By identifying and explaining the specific negative impact of gen‐AI use on green influencers, this work extends research on gen‐AI use by influencers in general and research on the negative impact of gen‐AI in marketing. Findings of this research encourage green influencers and sustainable brands to use gen‐AI cautiously.

The Lived Experiences of Women Leaders in Nonprofit Organizations

This qualitative study aims to explore and understand the leadership experiences of women in mid-level roles in nonprofit organizations. By employing role congruity theory and intersectionality as analytical frameworks, the study aims to identify the unique personal, professional, and organizational challenges these women face. The research also seeks to contribute to the literature by examining how gender intersects with other social identities to shape the leadership trajectories of women in educational settings. The study identifies self-confidence and gender, and racial stereotypes as major challenges experienced by women leaders in mid-level roles. The research highlights how these stereotypes can undermine women's leadership effectiveness and limit their opportunities for career advancement. Overall, this study adds to the existing body of knowledge by addressing gaps related to the intersection of gender with other identities.

Chief executive officers’ compensation: Does gender pay parity exist in the Nigerian context?

The optimal contract theory posits that an effective compensation plan should be based on performance. Globally, legislators are concerned about the gender pay gap due to stereotypes against women in line with congruity theory. Despite the plethora of gender-related studies, empirical evidence on the gender pay gap at the upper-echelon management level is limited, especially in Africa. Hence, the study examines the effect of CEO gender on CEO compensation in the Nigerian deposit money banks using a longitudinal research design. The study employed the ordinary least square (OLS), fixed effect method, and random effect method to analyze the 144 firm-year observations collected from the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) factbooks and the financial reports of 12 banks during 2011–2022. The Hausman Test (chi sq = 3.623, P = 0.003) and Redundant Fixed Effect Test (chi sq = 8.159, P = 0.000) indicated that the appropriate method of reporting is the fixed effect method. The association between CEO gender and CEO compensation (coeff = –8.690 and t = –10.31) is statistically negatively related. The study concluded a gender pay gap in favor of men among Nigerian Nigerian deposit money banks’ CEOs. These findings align with the congruity theory. The study recommends a mandatory gender pay parity plan in line with the optimal contract theory to reduce gender pay inequality.

Gender diversity in top management team and corporate social responsibility performance: examining the moderating nature of TMT international experience

Purpose This study is based on the role congruity theory that examines the association between top management team (TMT) gender diversity and corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance. Design/methodology/approach This study uses data from the Taiwan Economic Journal database and the Market Observation Post System provided by the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The sample consists of 4,140 annual observations of Taiwanese-listed companies in the electronics industry from 2016–2020. Findings The results revealed that TMT gender diversity is positively associated with CSR performance, and TMT international experience strengthens the positive association between TMT gender diversity and CSR performance. Practical implications CSR is imperative. The TMT’s gender diversity aligns with current environmental trends and social expectations, driven for CSR implementation essential. This diverse configuration enables the TMTs to address corporate adaptability and maintain global competitiveness. Originality/value The findings contribute significantly to the literature on TMT gender diversity by extending the application of role congruity theory beyond individual to team-level contexts and across gender boundaries. By incorporating diverse capabilities such as international experience within TMTs, the authors identify key boundary conditions that foster CSR. This expansion not only aligns with practical realities but also opens new avenues for research into the dynamics of diverse management teams.

The impact of religious and spiritual persuasive messages on religious Jews and the non-religious

ABSTRACT Today’s media environment lacks coverage of faith, religion, and spirituality, yet these are important topics in the lives of people around the globe. This article explored the effectiveness of religious and spiritual cues on Jews and the non-religious (atheists and agnostics) in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies examining atheists and agnostics are scant in media research and within the Jewish context. Since people use media to gratify a variety of needs, the article used identity theory and congruity theory to show that religious Jews appreciated both religious and spiritual messaging, while the non-religious favourably responded to the spiritual message alone. The results provide insights for future research and support for greater religious and spiritual coverage in the media.

Gender and Job Satisfaction: Examining the Role of Leadership Behavior and Gender Congruence Over Time

This article examines the longitudinal relationships between leader gender, leadership style, gender congruence between leaders and followers, and employee job satisfaction over time. Drawing on gender stereotype and role congruity theories, it reviews how communal attributes ascribed to females can initially disadvantage women in leadership roles by compromising their perceived competence. However, evidence indicates such bias may fade as individuals gain experience observing a leader's actual behaviors, values and competencies through ongoing interactions. Specifically, a five-year longitudinal field study found women leaders initially received marginally lower evaluations than men but ended with equal or higher ratings as preconceptions diminished. Additionally, demonstrating a transformational leadership style emphasizing inspiration and development associated positively with follower well-being across genders and leader-follower gender alignments. Practically, organizations that implement regular assessment and mentoring activities appear most effective at fostering truly inclusive cultures where talent, not attributes, drive satisfaction and career outcomes long-term.

Research on the Interactive Effects of Parenting Advertising Under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS)

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the different effects of advertising interactive experiences, and explore effective advertising interactive methods, to provide effective parenting advertising training for abusive parents. Theoretical Framework: Refers to the multi-sensory advertising interaction model based on the studies before, such as the AIEDA tourism advertising effects model, schema congruence theory, and a spiral brand experience concept. Method: This study conducted the distinct "Systematic Literature Review Synthesis Process", a stand-alone literature review typology that helps make sense of a chosen body of current literature and helps determine the theoretical framework at the early stages of research ideation. Results and Discussion: The results revealed that visual, auditory, and multi-sensory interactions all have different elements and characteristics and could cause different levels of attention, memory, and emotions for audiences. Research Implications: The results are expected to guide the development of a theoretical framework for combining advertising and user experience interaction. Originality/Value: The research helps to identify interactive sensory experience characteristics in advertisements, guide the effective dissemination of parenting public service advertisements, and create a happier family atmosphere for children, to promote SDG 3 on ensuring healthy lifestyles and promoting the well-being of people of all ages.

Can service robots recover themselves? The effect of service recovery agents and robot service failure types on customer response

As service robots become more widely deployed, the risk of service failures has increased, making it crucial to understand how service enterprises can effectively recover from such failures. Drawing on role congruity theory, we explore the performance of different recovery agents across various robot failure contexts. Through three experiments, we demonstrate that customer forgiveness and satisfaction improve for process failures caused by robots when service recovery is handled by human staff or a warm robot. Conversely, recovery efforts by human staff or a competent robot boost customer forgiveness and satisfaction in response to outcome failures triggered by robots. In addition, perceived role congruity acts as a mediator in the above interaction effects. Moreover, proactive recovery moderates these effects. This study offers a nuanced understanding of service recovery by refining robot service failure and recovery agent typologies, thereby enriching research in robot service recovery.

Feature-matching method based on keypoint response constraint using binary encoding of phase congruency

At present, the cross-view geo-localization (CGL) task is still far from practical. This is mainly because of the intensity differences between the two images from different sensors. In this study, we propose a learning feature-matching framework with binary encoding of phase congruency to solve the problem of intensity differences between the two images. First, the autoencoder-weighted fusion method is used to obtain an intensity alignment image that would make the two images from different sensors comparable. Second, the keypoint responses of the two images are calculated using the binary encoding of the phase congruency theory, which is employed to construct the feature-matching method. This method considers the invariance of the phase information in weak-texture images and uses the phase information to compute the keypoint response with higher distinguishability and matchability. Finally, using the two intensity-aligned images, a method for computing the binary encoding of the phase congruency keypoint response loss function is employed to optimize the keypoint detector and feature descriptor and obtain the corresponding keypoint set of the two images. The experimental results show that the improved feature matching is superior to existing methods and solves the problem of view differences in object matching. The code can be found at https://github.com/lqq-dot/FMPCKR.

Rainbows and laughter: How humor boosts e‐Word‐of‐Mouth for LGBT+ brands on social media

AbstractLGBT+ brands, i.e., those supporting and catering for the LGBT+ community and primarily owned and operated by members of this community, have been standing out for their authenticity in a marketplace where brands are regularly accused of “rainbow‐washing.” Yet, despite the recent media spotlight these brands are still struggling to grow and gain visibility among the general public. This study aims to explore how LGBT+ brands can leverage their content to increase e‐Word‐of‐Mouth (eWOM) on social media. Specifically, we focus on humorous content because its impact on eWOM has been mixed in the literature and brand type has been overlooked as a potential moderator to date. Using brand anthropomorphism and schema congruity theory, our research proposes that LGBT+ brands that adopt humor in their social media content generate higher eWOM when compared to mainstream brands. We suggest that consumers attribute the expected characteristics of gay individuals (e.g., humorous, witty, …) to LGBT+ brands, thus leading to perceived brand‐post fit as the underlying mechanism. Two studies based on Facebook data from two different LGBT+ brands and a scenario‐based experiment validate these findings. Alongside conceptualizing LGBT+ brands, we provide valuable insights into how these brands can gain exposure and visibility on social media.

Getting away “Scott” (but not Susan) free: The effects of safety‐specific abusive supervision and supervisor gender on follower attributions and safety outcomes

SummaryWhile most research emphasizes the harmful effects of abusive supervision, we argue that certain contextual factors—specifically hazardous work environments and supervisor gender—may lead abusive supervision to be perceived as driven by performance promotion intentions as opposed to injury initiation intentions. We introduce the concept of Safety‐Specific Abusive Supervision (SSAS), which we define as the extent to which a supervisor's active response to safety incidents is perceived by employees as abusive. Drawing from event system theory and research on attributions of abusive supervision, we theorize that when supervisors engage in SSAS, employees are more likely to attribute their behavior to performance promotion rather than injury initiation, perceiving the supervisors' actions as a means to keep them safe rather than to cause harm. We predict that performance promotion attributions mediate the relationship between SSAS and safety performance outcomes, namely safety voice and perceived supervisor safety commitment. However, consistent with role congruity theory, we hypothesize that this relationship is only true for male supervisors and not for female supervisors. Across three studies (two experimental studies and one field study), we largely find support for our hypotheses.

Agri-food supply chain concentration and financial growth: configuration and congruence approaches

PurposeThe importance of the agri-food supply chain in both food production and distribution has made the issue of its development a critical concern. Based on configuration theory and congruence theory, this research investigates the complex impact of supply chain concentration on financial growth in agri-food supply chains.Design/methodology/approachThe cluster analysis and response surface methodology are employed to analyse the data collected from 207 Chinese agri-food companies from 2010 to 2022.FindingsThe results indicate that different combination patterns of supply chain concentration can lead to different levels of financial growth. We discover that congruent supplier and customer concentration is beneficial for companies’ financial growth. This impact is more pronounced when the company is in the agricultural production stage of agri-food supply chains. Post-hoc analysis indicates that there exists an inverted U-shaped relationship between the overall levels of supply chain concentration and financial growth.Practical implicationsOur research uncovers the complex interplay between supply chain base and financial outcomes, thereby revealing significant ramifications for agri-food supply chain managers to optimise their strategies for exceptional financial growth.Originality/valueThis study proposes a combined approach of cluster analysis and response surface analysis for analysing configuration issues in supply chain management.

Does one’s sense of psychological safety mitigate the link between workplace ostracism and employee vitality? Meaningful work as a boundary role

The present study examines one’s sense of psychological safety as a mediator between workplace ostracism and vitality. It also tests meaningful work as a moderator between one’s sense of psychological safety and vitality. The present research collected cross-sectional data applying purposive and convenience sampling from 390 frontline hotel employees in Thailand. Workplace ostracism has a negative impact on one’s sense of psychological safety and vitality. One’s sense of psychological safety mediates the connection between workplace ostracism and vitality, and meaningful work positively moderates the association between one’s sense of psychological safety and vitality. These findings not only expand upon the conservation of resources (COR) theory and confirm the mediating role of psychological safety but also extend value congruence theory by moderating the role of meaningful work. The study highlights to increase meaningful work and one’s sense of psychological safety to improve vitality, and the strategies to minimize workplace ostracism.

Exploring the Sequential Relationship of a Leader’s Collective Leadership Style and the Team’s Shared Leadership: The Moderating Role of Gender

In this study, we explore the relationship between a team’s shared leadership and a formal leader’s collective leadership style, and their joint impact on team performance. We draw upon identity theory to examine how shared leadership in the team influences formal leaders’ leadership identity claims. We also examine how a formal leader’s use of a collective leadership style facilitates the claiming and granting of leadership identities by other team members. We also draw on role congruity theory and the social categorization perspective to examine the moderating role of gender, a critical component of identity. Our findings suggest that there is a mutual relationship between the formal leader’s collective leadership style and the team’s shared leadership, and that they jointly influence team performance, but these effects are contingent on the formal leader’s gender and the gender composition of the team. This study addresses several calls in the leadership field for examining the more nuanced ways shared leadership and the actions of a formal leader may influence each other, as well as the contextual conditions in which shared leadership is enacted.

Influence of Workplace Mentorship Programs on Gender Diversity in Leadership in Kenya

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze influence of workplace mentorship programs on gender diversity in leadership in Kenya. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Research on the influence of workplace mentorship programs on gender diversity in leadership in Kenya highlights several key findings. Studies indicate that mentorship programs significantly enhance the representation of women in leadership roles by providing guidance, networking opportunities, and skill development tailored to address gender-specific barriers. These programs foster a supportive environment where women can gain confidence and visibility, which translates into increased career advancement. The effectiveness of such programs is often amplified by their focus on addressing systemic biases and promoting inclusive practices within organizations. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social learning theory, role congruity theory & transformational leadership theory may be used to anchor future studies on the influence of workplace mentorship programs on gender diversity in leadership in Kenya. Organizations should implement mentorship programs tailored to the specific needs of women in different sectors and career stages. Policymakers and organizations should develop and enforce structured mentorship policies that include regular evaluations, clear objectives, and accountability measures.

Challenging Assumptions: Gender, Peer Evaluations, and the Broken Rung in Leadership Trajectories

The concept of the ‘glass ceiling’ represents the significant barriers that women face in climbing the corporate hierarchy, but recently, the focus has shifted to the ‘broken bottom rung’, where women are bypassed for initial leadership roles. This paper investigates the impact of gender on performance evaluations, particularly female-to-female peer ratings, which are critical to career progression. Our study tested three hypotheses about the disparity in female allyship within professional contexts. Participants (N = 160) from psychology classes in 2018–2019 evaluated their peers in project teams using five ITPMetrics measures. Contrary to previous research suggesting that women receive more critical evaluations than men, this study found no evidence supporting such bias. However, it revealed that women scored higher in process-based skills rather than outcome-based skills, aligning with role congruity theory and the notion of gendered skills. These findings highlight the need for further research into female peer evaluations and their impact on career advancement. This study challenges assumptions about women’s roles in the workplace and advocates for organizations reconsidering the emphasis placed on performance appraisals, proposing alternative assessment methods to foster more equitable and inclusive professional environments.

Power to the she: early-stage female entrepreneurs and innovation

PurposeOur study draws on gender role congruity theory to theorize and test an integrative conceptual model outlining how motives for entrepreneurial action explain the relationship between female entrepreneurship and innovation in nascent ventures.Design/methodology/approachTo test our hypotheses, we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) in a sample of early-stage entrepreneurs (N = 533).FindingsWe found a positive relationship between nascent female entrepreneurs and innovation, and that this relationship is mediated by motives for recognition, respect, and autonomy.Originality/valueBy revealing a positive relationship between female entrepreneurship and innovation, our work provides a complementary perspective to the literature, which suggests that there are limits to innovation potential for female entrepreneurs. Further, we find that this relationship is explained by motives for recognition, respect, and autonomy, but not financial security. Finally, most empirical research focuses on the innovative outputs of established new ventures, while our work leverages a sample of early-stage entrepreneurs.

The non-White standard: Racial bias in perceptions of diversity, equity, and inclusion leaders.

In response to calls for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, many organizations have implemented a leadership role dedicated to advancing DEI. Although prior research has found that the traditional leader is associated with being White, anecdotal evidence suggests DEI leader roles are predominantly held by non-White individuals. To examine this contradiction, we draw on social role and role congruity theories to conduct three preregistered experimental studies (N = 1,913) and explore whether the DEI leader role diverges from the traditional leader role such that observers expect a DEI leader to be non-White (i.e., Black, Hispanic, or Asian). Our findings indicate that DEI leaders are generally presumed to be non-White (Study 1) and that observers perceive traits associated with non-White, rather than White, groups correspond more strongly with traits required for the DEI leader role (Study 2). We also explore the effects of congruity and find non-White candidates receive stronger leader evaluations for a DEI leader role and that this relationship is mediated by nontraditional, role-specific traits (i.e., commitment to social justice and suffered discrimination; Study 3). We conclude by discussing the implications of our work for DEI and leadership research as well as for work drawing on role theories. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Congruity Theory Dan Komentar Netizen Terkait Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII)

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) is a cultural tourism complex in Jakarta, which in 2023 will undergo a revitalization process aimed at improving the quality and experience of visiting tourists. TMII has attracted the attention of tourists to visit it. It is not surprising that if you open the YouTube social media platform and look for information about TMII, netizens will find many videos covering TMII. One of the videos that provides information about TMII is a video from the CNBC Indonesia YouTube channel. This six-minute video has been watched more than 95 thousand times, and invited many comments. Based on these facts, the author is interested in analyzing netizen comments regarding this tourism video. To answer this question, the author uses the virtual ethnographic research tradition, with data analysis based on congruity theory. The research results show that 1) netizens' appreciation regarding TMII and the existence of CNBC Indonesia journalist Shania Alatas are the things that netizens say most often in the comments column on the video This is the New Face of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah on the CNBC Indonesia YouTube channel; 2) comments regarding netizens' appreciation of TMII and the existence of CNBC Indonesia journalist Shania Alatas in line with Osgood and Tannebaum's congruity theory; 3) Shania Alatas conveyed a message about TMII that could be positive (associative) to netizens.

Research on the Influence of Humor Response in the Context of Artificial Intelligence Service Failure: Moderating Effect Based on User Humor

With the development of high and new technology, artificial intelligence technology has been widely used in all walks of life. However, limited by the technical development level and the complexity of the service environment, the failure of artificial intelligence robots is inevitable. How to make an effective remedy has become the focus of attention of enterprises and academia. Based on cognitive-affective system theory of personality, benign violation theory and personality trait congruence theory, this paper conducts three situational experiments. This paper explores the relationship between artificial intelligence humor response, perceived sincerity and user forgiveness in the context of artificial intelligence service failure, and discusses the moderating effect of user humor degree. It is found that artificial intelligence humor response has a positive effect on user forgiveness in the context of service failure, and perceived sincerity plays a part of mediating role. In addition, for users with different degrees of humor, the same humorous reply will cause users to perceive different sincerity, and then lead to different users' forgiveness. This study complements the research on consumer psychology and behavior theory and remedy strategies in the context of service failure by artificial intelligence robots. At the same time, it provides a reference for enterprises how to dynamically adjust the artificial intelligence humor response level according to the user portrait, and further provides practical enlightenment for enterprises to implement effective remedy strategies.