Male-biased sex ratios increase the support for a strong leader: An evolutionary threat management perspective

Abstract

An evolutionary threat management approach to leadership assumes that humans have an adaptive followership psychology that responds to specific ecological threats by selecting appropriate leaders to mitigate any risks. We hypothesize that having an imbalanced sex ratio in society (with either an abundance of adult men or women) increases the support for a strong leader, because people find such imbalances threatening to themselves and to society. We tested our hypothesis with five preregistered experimental studies and one archival study. In the five online scenario studies (total N=2249), we manipulated the operational sex ratios within a fictitious country and measured both explicit leader preferences (ideal leader traits) and implicit preferences (facial cues of leaders). The results showed that a male-biased sex ratio (abundance of men) robustly increased the preference for a strong leader across all studies, but the effects of a female-biased sex ratio (abundance of women) were smaller and not consistent. Furthermore, a male-biased sex ratio in society activated the impression that society is a competitive, dangerous place. Overall, the studies enhance our understanding of the impact of an ecological factor, the sex ratio in society, on the support for political leadership.