The accuracy of leadership ratings: A cognitive categorization perspective

Abstract

The effects of cognitive leadership labels, item type, and temporal delays on the descriptive accuracy of leadership ratings was examined in a sample of observer-subjects who viewed a videotaped interaction of a problem-solving group. The results of the study provided support for several hypotheses derived from cognitive categorization models of the leadership perception process. Observers tended to ascribe more behavior to the leader that was consistent with an initial leadership label (prototypic behavior) than behavior that was either inconsistent with that label or unrelated to it (nonprototypic behavior). In addition, observers were more capable of accurately reporting the presence of nonprototypic behavior than prototypic behavior within an immediate rating condition. This accuracy, however, deteriorated significantly with a temporal delay in rating. In contrast, to the extent that prototypic behavior had been accurately rated within the immediate rating condition, the temporal delay had no significant impact on observers' rating accuracy for these behaviors.