Perceptions and Metaperceptions of Leadership: Components, Accuracy, and Dispositional Correlates

This research examined the components of leadership perceptions and metaperceptions in mixed-sex, problem-solving groups. A social relations analysis indicated that leadership perceptions were highly consensual. Perceivers similarly differentiated targets' leadership using similar behavioral cues and observable characteristics. Approximately 91% of the variance in perceivers' consensual judgments of targets' leadership was explained by quantity of targets' speech, quality of ideas, and friendliness. Leadership perceptions correlated reliably with targets'selfperceptions on leadership and revealed target accuracy. Also, targets knew how perceivers, in general, judged their leadership, yielding evidence of accurate metaperception. Perceptions and metaperceptions were correlated zLith target gender and endorsement of stereotypic masculine andfeminine traits. These data were consistent with a social role model which assumes that differential gnder expectancies affect behavior, perceivers'judgments of targets, and targets' metaperceptions. The advantages of the componential approach to research on leadership perception were discussed.