Using Video Vignettes to Understand Perceptions of Leaders

Video vignettes are one form of virtualized vignettes that may build upon traditional text vignettes and enable research participants to see and experience a unique scenario that is better translated visually than through a written text. This study examined using video vignettes to study perceptions of leaders. Participants watched virtualized, video vignettes depicting a male leader expressing either a masculine, gender-conforming expression or a feminine, gender-nonconforming expression. Participants evaluated these leaders on measures of leadership likability and leadership effectiveness. Results demonstrated that the videos of the masculine male leader were perceived as more likable and more effective than the videos of the feminine male leader. This relationship was not moderated by gender-related expectations the participants had. This finding reveals that there is a prototypical expectation that male leaders who depicted masculine expressions are more likable and effective. Additionally, we also found that the participant’s individual ideologies of gender-related expectations and conformity expectations were related to the results in unique ways. When the participant believed an ideal leader should have higher versus lower feminine traits, those participants also rated both leaders more positively regardless of the type of gender expression that was depicted in the video vignettes. In contrast, participants with strong expectations that others should conform to gender norms in social situations generally rated both leaders more negatively, regardless of the gender expression in the video vignette. The results are discussed in detail and the benefits of using virtualized and video vignettes are discussed.