Schematic information processing and perceptions of leadership in problem-solving groups

Abstract

Investigated the relationship between leadership prototypes and memory for leadership behavior in 128 student observers who viewed a videotaped interaction of a 4-person problem-solving group. After viewing the tape, Ss were provided with bogus performance information and then completed a specially constructed descriptive leadership questionnaire that contained items referring to 3 types of behavior (highly characteristic of an effective leadership prototype, highly characteristic of an ineffective leadership prototype, or nonprototypic behavior). The leader on the tape had actually exhibited a subset of 5 behaviors from each class of behavior. As expected, for the nonprototypic items Ss were relatively capable of accurately distinguishing observed and unobserved behaviors. However, for prototypic items, Ss were less able to make this distinction. In addition, the bogus performance information significantly affected ratings for prototypic items but had little effect on nonprototypic items. The magnitude of the performance information effect was constant for behavior that had actually occurred and for behavior that had not occurred. (18 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)