The Inevitability of an Outgroup Leader

• Author / Creator

  Kershaw, Christine Marie

• Intergroup leadership is a frequently occurring and under-researched phenomenon. Across five studies, I examined three key intergroup leadership factors and their relation to assessing the leader and intergroup relations. To understand how these variables interacted in an intergroup leadership context, I conducted a series of quasi-experimental studies. I began by testing two of the variables in a pilot study, a new manipulation of leader affiliation, although only for an out-subgroup leader, in combination with a verified method of leader rhetoric manipulation. Study 1 expanded on the pilot study to fully manipulate leader affiliation, both in- and out-subgroup, combined with leader rhetoric. Study 2 introduced the third intergroup leadership variable, leader prototypicality, with leader affiliation. Study 3 removed the affiliation comparison to focus on the effects of leader prototypicality and rhetoric for an out-subgroup leader. Study 4 brought all of the variables together to test their effects on leader evaluation and intergroup relations. Across these studies, findings were generally inconsistent, although the effect of rhetoric was often aligned with theoretical predictions. In terms of intergroup leadership theory, these results are generally supportive or neutral relative to theoretical predictions, whereas in terms of the ingroup projection model these results provide less clear support. Overall, some issues with the prototypicality manipulation, which may be a result of generally low subgroup identification, make conclusive findings difficult. These results indicate that intergroup leadership requires additional study, and more theories and manipulations need to be generated to better understand these contexts.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Intergroup relations
  • Leadership
  • Group Processes

• Graduation date

  Spring 2024

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-dww4-2d14

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.