Implicit leadership theory as a determinant of the factor structure underlying supervisory behavior scales

Examined implicit leadership theory (preconceptions about the patterning of leadership variables) in 235 college students. Ss completed the Survey of Organizations questionnnaire on a fictitious "Plant X" about which they were given little information. Factor analysis, performed on the items purported to measure 4 leadership factors, resulted in the conceptualized factor structure. Since no information was given regarding supervisory behavior in Plant X, the factor structure was attributed to an implicit leadership theory. Factor analysis on subsamples indicated the factor structure could not be attributed to either experience in organizations or previous instruction in management. It is suggested that responses to questionnaires regarding organizational variables may be contaminated by implicit theory and that multitrait-multimethod procedures may be required to validate questionnaires. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).