Glass cliff appointments in politics: What are the motives?
Séminaire du Laboratoire de psychologie sociale
Leadership is typically associated with behavioral and trait expectations that coincide with the male-White prototype of a leader. Over the last decade research on the “glass cliff” gave evidence that women and other minority groups may be preferred leaders in times of crisis. Originally illustrated in organizational contexts, the glass cliff can also be observed in politics where female and ethnic, racial, and immigration (ERI) minorities have higher chances to emerge as candidates in hard-to-win regions compared to men and majority groups.
In my talk, I will present archival evidence on the glass cliffs in the American, Austrian and French elections and important nuances across different party affiliations (right versus left-wing). I will further present experimental data looking into potential explanations and motivations of political glass cliffs by considering participant political orientation. Finally, I will present preliminary correlational insights on glass cliff preferences during the COVID crisis. The importance given to health, social, or economic aspects of the crisis played an important role for whether and in what way people preferred female or ERI minorities. Drawing on the many factors that shape glass cliff appointments, I will discuss the different motivations that likely underlie this phenomenon.
Laboratoire de psychologie sociale (UnilaPS) - Institut de Psychologie