Journal of Applied Psychology

Lin, Szu-Han (Joanna); Woodall, Justin P.; Mitchell, Marie S.; Chi, Nai-Wen; Johnson, Russell E.

2025 Journal of Applied Psychology

doi: 10.1037/apl0001263pmid: 39836133

Previous research has highlighted the benefits followers gain from their leaders’ initiating structure and consideration. Adopting a leader-centric perspective, we propose that leaders’ gender influences the impact of these behaviors for leaders themselves. Drawing from conservation of resources and gender role theories, we explain why gender-role-inconsistent leader behaviors (behaviors that go against gender stereotypes, such as initiating structure for women and consideration for men) is detrimental, while engaging in gender-role-consistent leader behaviors (such as initiating structure for men and consideration for women) is beneficial. We further theorize that follower support mitigates the negative effects of gender-role-inconsistent behaviors. We tested our hypotheses across four studies—an experience sampling field study (Study 1) and three experiments (Studies 2 through 4). Study 1 revealed initiating structure for women leaders elicited gender stereotype threat, which depleted women leaders. This resulted in increased work withdrawal and reduced initiating structure and consideration the next day. Study 1 also showed that initiating structure and consideration increased both men and women leaders’ perceived leader effectiveness, which, in turn, increased their work engagement, further increasing their initiating structure and consideration the next day. Study 2 replicated these results, and Studies 3 and 4 showed that follower support mitigated the depletion effects of gender stereotype threat by initiating structure for women leaders. Our research highlights the benefits and detriments of leader behaviors and identifies how followers can alleviate the costs associated with initiating structure for women leaders.

Nie, Weiwen; Hernandez, Ivan; Tay, Louis; Zhang, Bo; Cao, Mengyang

2025 Journal of Applied Psychology

doi: 10.1037/apl0001261pmid: 39836132

The covariance index method, the idiosyncratic item response method, and the machine learning method are the three primary response-pattern-based (RPB) approaches to detect faking on personality tests. However, less is known about how their performance is affected by different practical factors (e.g., scale length, training sample size, proportion of faking participants) and when they perform optimally. In the present study, we systematically compared the three RPB faking detection methods across different conditions in three empirical-data-based resampling studies. Overall, we found that the machine learning method outperforms the other two RPB faking detection methods in most simulation conditions. It was also found that the faking probabilities produced by all three RPB faking detection methods had moderate to strong positive correlations with true personality scores, suggesting that these RPB faking detection methods are likely to misclassify honest respondents with truly high personality trait scores as fakers. Fortunately, we found that the benefit of removing suspicious fakers still outweighs the consequences of misclassification. Finally, we provided practical guidance to researchers and practitioners to optimally implement the machine learning method and offered step-by-step code.

Wen, Xueqi; Liu, Zihan; Qiu, Feng; Leavitt, Keith; Wang, Xingyu; Tang, Ziyang

2025 Journal of Applied Psychology

doi: 10.1037/apl0001265pmid: 39818990

Leaders, often perceived as possessing exceptional confidence and competence, are not immune to feelings of self-doubt. Leader impostorism describes the experience that one’s attributes, experiences, skills, and abilities fall short of the standards expected in the leadership role, resulting in a sense of deception in fulfilling leadership responsibilities. While existing research has examined the antecedents and individual outcomes of leader impostorism, its implications for leaders’ treatment of subordinates remain largely unexplored. In this research, we investigate the downstream consequences of leader impostorism on behaviors directed toward subordinates. Integrating research on leader impostorism with power dependence theory, we propose that for leaders with a low power distance orientation, leader impostorism increases supervisor support through the mechanism of perceived power dependence on subordinates, whereas for leaders with a high power distance orientation, leader impostorism increases supervisor undermining through the mechanism of power threat. The findings from two field studies support our theoretical model. This research contributes to the literature by broadening the understanding of the impact of leader impostorism on subordinates, extending power dependence theory within leader–subordinate dynamics, and offering insights into the dual nature of impostorism and its contingent effects.

Grant, Ryan S.; Buchanan, Beth E.; Shockley, Kristen M.

2025 Journal of Applied Psychology

doi: 10.1037/apl0001262pmid: 39836131

Previous meta-analytic research concluded that the well-being benefits of vacation are small and fade away quickly, suggesting that vacation may not be that effective of a recovery opportunity for improving employee well-being. Since the time of this initial meta-analysis, however, the number of vacation studies has increased, providing an opportunity to estimate more precise meta-analytic estimates and increase our understanding of the different factors that play a role in this vacation–well-being relationship. As such, we conduct a meta-analysis using 32 studies that include 256 effect sizes to examine how employee well-being levels change due to vacation. Our results reveal that vacation has a large effect on well-being that does not fade out as quickly as previously thought. In terms of moderators, our results suggest that vacation length, national culture, and number of nationally mandated vacation days moderate this relationship, but the role of vacation location (i.e., away from home, at home, or a mix of both) remains unclear. Finally, we examine how types of activities and specific recovery experiences during vacation correlate with well-being during and after vacation using a meta-analysis of eight studies that include 69 effect sizes. Our findings suggest that psychological detachment and physical activities during vacation may be the most beneficial for improving employee well-being. Overall, this meta-analysis provides evidence that vacation is a more effective recovery opportunity for improving employee well-being than previous work suggests.

Tenbrink, Andrew P.; Speer, Andrew B.; Wegmeyer, Lauren J.; Sendra, Caitlynn C.; Rowley, Shannon

2025 Journal of Applied Psychology

doi: 10.1037/apl0001260pmid: 39818991

The purpose of the present meta-analysis was to determine if biodata scale scores differ based on demographic group membership (i.e., gender, race, age) and to evaluate the contextual factors that amplify or mitigate these effects (e.g., construct domain, scoring method). Despite the popularity of biodata scales for personnel selection purposes, previous research findings do not provide clear evidence as to whether adverse impact is a serious concern. To address this gap, a meta-analysis of 43 studies (56 independent samples) was conducted, providing estimates of group differences across demographic groups (female–male, Black–White, Hispanic–White, Asian–White, and age) and relevant construct domains. The majority of biodata scale scores were found to exhibit small group differences across construct domains and demographic groups (≈75% had Cohen’s d less than |.20|). Group differences were also relatively small when compared with other popular selection methods. When considered with previous research, these findings provide further support for the use of biodata scales in personnel selection scenarios.

Ho, Grace Ching Chi; Welsh, David T.; Bush, John T.

2025 Journal of Applied Psychology

doi: 10.1037/apl0001264pmid: 39836134

Given the overall positive influence ethical leaders have on their followers’ performance, the literature has largely assumed that ethical leadership also facilitates the performance of leaders themselves. We challenge this assumption by adopting a within-person perspective to reveal more nuanced relationships between distinct forms of daily ethical leadership and daily leader performance. Building on the affect theory of social exchange (Lawler, 2001), we develop a theoretical model that examines the diverging effects of daily promotion- and prevention-focused ethical leadership on daily leader performance through the reciprocal influence of followers’ affective reactions. Specifically, we predict that whereas daily promotion-focused ethical leadership will elicit follower displayed gratitude toward the leader, daily prevention-focused ethical leadership will elicit follower displayed anger toward the leader. Downstream, we predict that follower displayed gratitude and anger will subsequently influence leaders’ in-role and extra-role performance. We also explore how overall social exchange quality shapes the daily affective and behavioral dynamics between leaders and followers. Results from three studies using a multimethod approach provide convergent support for our model. Overall, this research offers both theoretical and practical insights about the potentially unexpected leader-centric consequences of ethical leadership.