Weight and gender bias in observer perceptions of organizational leadership: Effects of perceived leader prototypicality and unit performance

Despite the importance of organizational leaders, few studies have examined whether leaders are subject to stigma and biases based on amount of body fat. Specifically, we examine the extent to which external observers exhibit weight-based biases against organizational leaders based on types of information that commonly appear in the media (e.g., a portrait and description of unit performance). Based on implicit leadership theory, we examine perceptions of leader prototypicality and ratings of leader effectiveness, as predicted by the interacting effects of leader body fat, leader gender, and the performance of the leader's work unit. Our sample consisted of 437 U.S. adults, recruited through Mturk, who evaluated fictitious leaders. Results suggested that leaders were, indeed, subject to statistically significant weight penalties in perceived leader effectiveness, which operated indirectly via decreased perceptions of leader prototypicality. These weight penalties were significantly increased for both man and woman leaders when unit performance was poor. In terms of credit/blame for unit performance, woman leaders with higher body fat received significantly more blame for unit failure, and less credit for unit success, than their counterparts with lower body fat. Overall, results suggest that external observers seem to exhibit weight-based biases against leaders, particularly when other information can be used to justify negative evaluations.