The Impact of Leader Power and Behavior on Leadership Perceptions: A Lisrel Test of an Expanded Categorization Theory of Leadership Model

According to Lord’s categorization theory of leadership, people identify others as leaders or nonleaders based on the frequency and nature of displayed leader behaviors. Although this relationship has been empirically established, the impact of power attributions on leadership perceptions has not yet been studied. The present research employed LISREL to investigate the linkages of power and behavior to leadership impressions through cognitive schemata. Results indicated that leader behavior had direct effects on perceptions of leadership, whereas leader power did not. However, leader power did affect perceptions of leader behavior, in keeping with categorization theory. In addition, displayed leader behaviors contributed to the development of power perceptions. The practical implications of these findings are discussed at length.