Evaluation of leaders who committed moral violations on the basis of support, perceived success, and effectiveness

Yentür H., Akfırat S.

CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY, cilt.1, ss.1-14, 2024 (SSCI)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s12144-024-06854-0
  • Dergi Adı: CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, BIOSIS, Business Source Elite, Business Source Premier, Psycinfo
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-14
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study aims to investigate the psychological underpinnings of supporting leaders who engage in immoral behavior that harms others, and the perceived effectiveness and success of those leaders. An online experimental study using scenarios in an organizational setting was conducted to do this (N = 615). Results showed that the identity-advancer leader who violated moral codes had more support, was perceived as more successful, and was more effective compared to the leader who was not an identity-advancer. Furthermore, the data also implicate that the leader received more support and was perceived as more successful and effective when the targets of the immoral behavior were not ingroup members but outgroup members. Regarding interaction effects, the identity advancer leader who harmed ingroup members received less support and was perceived as less successful and less effective compared to the identity advancer leader who harmed outgroup members. The results are discussed in the light of relevant literature.