Leader appeal theories fall into traits, situation-matching, and follower-matching accounts

Evidence

Taken together, these theories suggest several different kinds of factors that may account for the personal appeal and greatness of political leaders: (a) leader characteristics independent of the situation, (b) leader characteristics that match systematically changing situational demands, and (c) leader characteristics that match characteristics of followers or of the population in general, whatever the determinants of these latter characteristics may be. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 1289

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Leader popularity stems from leader-follower congruence while greatness stems from leader traits — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology: Key Readings, 1361; Followers’ expectations script and constrain would-be charismatic leaders — Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Righteous Discontent: The Women’s…, 1694