TY - JOUR
T1 - How being rooted in the past can shape the future
T2 - The role of social identity continuity in the wish for a strong leader
AU - Selvanathan, Hema Preya
AU - Crimston, Charlie R.
AU - Jetten, Jolanda
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - Why do people support strong leaders? We examined the link between social identity continuity – the sense that a nation's past, present, and future are interconnected – and the wish for a strong national leader. Drawing on a multi-country data set (Study 1: N = 6112) and a sample from Australia (Study 2: N = 621), Studies 1 and 2 showed that identity continuity was related to increased desire for a strong leader. Studies 3a (UK sample; N = 293) and 3b (US sample; N = 294) further showed that desired (not perceived) identity continuity was related to wish for a strong leader, suggesting that the key ingredient is the desire for continuity regardless of the perceived current levels of continuity. These findings suggest that people may want to preserve their national identity as a link to the past to face present and future challenges, even if it means forgoing democratic leadership.
AB - Why do people support strong leaders? We examined the link between social identity continuity – the sense that a nation's past, present, and future are interconnected – and the wish for a strong national leader. Drawing on a multi-country data set (Study 1: N = 6112) and a sample from Australia (Study 2: N = 621), Studies 1 and 2 showed that identity continuity was related to increased desire for a strong leader. Studies 3a (UK sample; N = 293) and 3b (US sample; N = 294) further showed that desired (not perceived) identity continuity was related to wish for a strong leader, suggesting that the key ingredient is the desire for continuity regardless of the perceived current levels of continuity. These findings suggest that people may want to preserve their national identity as a link to the past to face present and future challenges, even if it means forgoing democratic leadership.
KW - Leadership
KW - National identity
KW - Populism
KW - Social identity continuity
KW - Strong leader
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125694163&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101608
DO - 10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101608
M3 - Article
SN - 1048-9843
VL - 33
JO - Leadership Quarterly
JF - Leadership Quarterly
IS - 4
M1 - 101608
ER -