Leadership and the contagion of affective phenomena: A systematic review and mini meta‐analysis

Abstract

We present a systematic review of literature examining leadership and the contagion of affective phenomena, namely emotion, mood, and affect. Specifically, an inductive thematic analysis approach was adopted to synthesize the findings from published studies. In addition, a mini meta-analysis was conducted to quantify reported effects. A rigorous search identified 25 studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria for further review. Results highlighted important relationships between leadership and contagion aligned with six themes: Charismatic and transformational leadership are conducive to contagion of leader and follower positive affective phenomena; greater contagion effects exists when there is congruence between leader and follower affective states; contagion of leader and follower affective phenomena is directly linked to leader effectiveness and performance; and, individual susceptibility to the contagion of affective phenomena can moderate these relationships. These findings have salient implications for conceptualization and measurement across multiple lines of inquiry and within numerous domains of application.

Leaders’ Windows of Tolerance for Affect Arousal—and Their Effects on Political Decision-making During COVID-19

“…A third model posits contagion as an automatic, unconscious, and unintentional transference of affect between leaders and followers ( Hatfield et al, 1994 ). Leader affect evokes similar physiological processes in followers, such that they automatically mimic their leader’s verbal and non-verbal cues and converge with their emotions ( Neumann and Strack, 2000 ; Bono and Ilies, 2006 ; Johnson, 2008 ; Spoor and Kelly, 2009 ; Clarkson et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Importantly, the relationship between a leader and their followers includes both characteristics, making them a likely source of affect contagion. Leader affect evokes similar physiological processes in followers, such that they automatically mimic their leader’s verbal and non-verbal cues and converge with their emotions ( Neumann and Strack, 2000 ; Bono and Ilies, 2006 ; Johnson, 2008 ; Spoor and Kelly, 2009 ; Clarkson et al, 2020 ).…”

Ethical Leadership: Understanding Ethical Failures and Researching Consequences for Practice: Priority 8 of the National Leadership Education Research Agenda 2020–2025

“…The fact that ethical lapses occur despite strong cultural norms suggests weaving ethics into the cultural tapestry of an organization is not sufficient to prevent moral failures, thus other methods of transmission must also be involved. One alternative proposition ripe for investigation is whether ethical mores may be communicated in part through mechanisms akin to emotional contagion (Clarkson, Wagstaff, Arthur, & Thelwell, 2020), in which case proximity to exemplary ethical actors may be an essential component of promoting moral integrity in the workplace. Empirical evidence assessing the possibility of ethical contagion could potentially inform how educators prepare leaders to infuse moral standards that penetrate across multiple organizational layers (Tee, 2015).…”

The Role of Leadership Level in College Students’ Decision-Making: Evidence From Event-Related Potential Analysis

“…Leadership, which is commonly defined as a process of influence used in setting direction, building an inspiring vision, and creating something new to motivate organization members toward goal achievement ( Yukl, 1999 ; Clarkson et al, 2019 ), is one of the most traditionally researched concepts in the behavioral sciences. Today, given that we live in highly complex social environments, a leader must not only be able to inspire followers to strive for organizational goals, but must also know how to handle conflicts in decision making.…”