Highlights•Violent mobilization is often attributed to manipulation from, for example,
demagogues.•The human mind contains psychological defenses against manipulation, also …

Highlights•Followers infer leaders' dominance from appearance, behavior and policy
positions.•Preferences for dominant leaders are enhanced in contexts of …

Cultural and evolutionary explanations are often seen as rivals in the social sciences. It is
therefore not surprising that these perspectives have also communicated little in leadership …

Dominant leadership is, surprisingly, on the rise globally. Previous studies have found that
intergroup conflict increases followers' support for dominant leaders, but identifying the …

Whom do people prefer to have serve as leaders and how does the answer depend on
social context? Despite prior research suggesting a preference for dominant leaders during …

For as long as people have analyzed politics, they have worried about whether
demagogues and propaganda manipulate the public into entertaining false beliefs about the …

Although dominance is a common strategy for attaining high social rank, it often entails
exploitative behavior, bringing leaders into conflict with followers. Anthropological work …

Past research has shown that anger is associated with support for confrontational and
punitive responses during crises, and notably with the endorsement of authoritarian …

An extensive literature in political science shows how citizens' evaluations of politicians—as
well as their electoral behavior—are affected by trait impressions of these politicians …

Politicians are increasingly relying on outrage to engage the public. President Donald
Trump used outrage to fuel his unlikely 2016 presidential victory and 2020 reelection effort …