UC Riverside

The purpose of this research was to develop a self-directed Galatea intervention that enables individuals to enhance their positive leadership and followership self-expectation through Associative Conditioning (AC). While traditional Galatea interventions are typically administered by a facilitator (e.g., squad leader, researcher, teacher) to enhance individuals' self-expectation through contrived verbal feedback, none of the studies have explored the plausibility of a self-directed Galatea intervention. That is, a self-directed Galatea intervention that enhances individuals’ positive self-expectations without any contrived manipulations Results across two studies (total N = 320) supported the plausibility of a self-directed Galatea intervention via AC. Study 1 (n = 160) provided evidence for a self-directed Galatea leadership intervention. Individuals in the experimental group who were conditioned to associate themselves with positive leadership schemas perceived themselves more positively as leaders than those in the control group. Additionally, individuals in the experimental group had higher leadership self-efficacy and social-normative motivation to lead than those in the control group. Study 2 (n = 160) provided evidence for a self-directed Galatea followership intervention. Individuals in the experimental group who were conditioned to associate themselves with positive followership schemas perceived themselves more positively as followers than those in the control group. Lastly, individuals in the experimental group had higher general self-efficacy and personal mastery than those in the control group. Overall, this research contributed to the leadership, followership, AC, and self-fulfilling prophecy literature, offering new insights into leadership and followership processes.