Leadership and Evolutionary Psychology

Kaiser, R.B. (2006, April). Leadership and Evolutionary Psychology: New Perspectives on an Old Topic. Symposium presented at the 21st Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Dallas, TX.

History has taught us much about leadership. But questions remain: why is there a social role called leadership? What about followership? Why are some people better suited as leaders or followers? How does human nature set limits on how groups can be organized and led? And what does this say about leading in today’s world? In this session, original thinkers will show how Evolutionary Psychology provides a comprehensive framework for integrating, interpreting, and advancing the study of leadership. Darwin’s “dangerous idea” has influenced other disciplines in the human sciences—we will discuss what it offers to students of leadership.

• Robert B. Kaiser, Kaplan DeVries Inc.,
  Why an Evolutionary View of Leadership?
• Mark Van Vugt, University of Kent,
  What Evolution Teaches Us about Leadership
• Richard D. Arvey, University of Minnesota,
  Genetic Influences on Leadership
• Robert Hogan, Hogan Assessments,
  Evolutionary Theory and Applied Psychology
• Adrian Furnham, University College London, Discussant

Download all slides in session
Download Kaiser paper
Download Hogan paper

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