Fun New Finding: Height and Perceived Leadership Ability

The Height Leadership Advantage in Men and Women: Testing Evolutionary Psychology Predictions About the Perceptions of Tall Leaders

Background:

• Research suggests that tall individuals have an advantage over short individuals in terms of status, prestige, and leadership, though it is not clear why. 
• Applying an evolutionary psychology perspective, we predicted that taller individuals are seen as more leader-like because they are perceived as more dominant, healthy, and intelligent. 
• Being fit and physically imposing were arguably important leadership qualities in ancestral human environments—perhaps especially for males—where being a leader entailed considerable physical risks

Results:

• In line with our expectations, our results demonstrate that by manipulating an individual’s stature height positively influences leadership perception for both men and women, though the effect is stronger for men. 
• For male leaders this height leadership advantage is mediated by their perceived dominance, health, and intelligence; while for female leaders this effect is only mediated by perceived intelligence.

(Blaker, Rompa, Dessing, Vriend, Herschberg, & van Vugt, 2013).  Group Processes & Intergroup Relations.