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Cited by 214Action Observation and SynchronizationSocial and Intergroup PsychologyPsychology of Social Influence

Charisma Is Contagious: The Effect of Leaders’ Charisma on Observers’ Affect1

Cherulnik, Paul D., Donley, Kristina A., Wiewel, Tay Sha R., Miller, Susan R.·2001·Journal of Applied Social Psychology
DOI 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb00167.x
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Abstract

Two studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that charismatic leadership, characterized by nonverbal expressiveness and immediacy, would lead via emotional contagion to the imitation of the leader's nonverbal behavior. In Study I, charismatic leaders were college students whose performance of a simulated campaign speech included more smiles, more intense smiles, and longer and more frequent visual attention to the audience. Observers showed higher levels of all 4 relevant behaviors while watching charismatic leaders. In Study 2, college student participants watched more and less charismatic excerpts selected from President Clinton's and ex‐President Bush's responses during their first 1992 televised debate. Comparing the same behaviors, there was a similar pattern to Study I for responses to the Clinton excerpts, and an almost reversed pattern for the Bush excerpts. The overall results support an emotional contagion effect of charismatic leadership when the leader exhibits truly charismatic behavior.

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  • Leader emotions are contagious and tend to spread across group members and recalibrate the emotional climate.

    “A robust body of empirical research supports the contagious nature of leader emotions, showing their tendency to spread across group members and recalibrate the emotional climate (Anderson et al., 2003; Cherulnik et al., 2001; Haag and Laroche, 2009; Haag and Getz, 2016; Sy et al., 2005).”

    From The Groupfeel syndrome: a theory of a counterproductive group emotion (2026) · cites this paper as Cherulnik et al., 2001

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Authors
Cherulnik, P. D., Donley, K. A., Wiewel, T. S. R., & Miller, S. R.
Affiliations
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (US)
Corresponding author
Cherulnik, Paul D.
Venue
Journal of Applied Social Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2001-10
Volume
31
Issue
10
Pages
2149-2159
ISSN
  • 0021-9029 (ISSN-L)
  • 1559-1816
DOI
10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb00167.x
OpenAlex
W2063109177
Cited by
214
References
19
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 10
FWCI
2.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 1764 d)
Locations
Journal of Applied Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Psychology of Social Influence
Keywords
charismatic leadership, emotional contagion, nonverbal behavior, immediacy, campaign speeches, presidential debates

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