Multi-level information-processing explanations of followers' leadership perceptions

Abstract

The information-processing and person perception literatures imply that leadership perceptions will be based on both affective and cognitive processing strategies. We propose that both affective and cognitive information-processing mechanisms may work at a variety of levels (individual, dyad, and group) to determine followers' perceptions of leaders. Although the role of affective processing in leadership perception has been little investigated, it plays a key role in the rapid formation of a general liking (or disliking) that then sets the basis for more elaborate cognitive and affective processing. Especially interesting is the possibility that the development of mutual liking depends not only upon characteristics of individual followers or leaders but also upon dyadic and group-level influences on affective processing. Cognitive processing is also subject to dyad- and group-level effects, as leader characteristics have the potential to cue different prototypes in dyadic relations. Similarly, groups can influence prototype availability, mood, information used, and other determinants of subsequent leadership perceptions.