The present study investigated the effect of female identification on power perception and climate consciousness. It was hypothesized that female identification would lead to perceiving power as a...Show moreThe present study investigated the effect of female identification on power perception and climate consciousness. It was hypothesized that female identification would lead to perceiving power as a responsibility and that a stronger sense of responsibility increases an individual’s climate consciousness. This was tested with UK participants (N = 251) which are working in management and leadership positions, taking part in a questionnaire; data was followed up by two linear regressions and a mediation analysis. The results showed that, in line with expectations, women perceived their power more as a responsibility than men did. However, unexpectedly, responsibility and climate consciousness were negatively correlated. Therefore, individuals identifying as female were not more climate conscious because of their heightened sense of responsibility in leadership positions. The opposite effect was found for male identification, as through their decreased sense of responsibility the mediation analysis led to an increased climate consciousness. Therefore, the hypotheses in this study were only partly confirmed. The outcomes have practical implications for human resource management and politics, as certain characteristics can be determined for the “right” leadership positions. Given the necessity of climate change, more research is needed to examine which leadership characteristics would serve the best outcomes for the environment.Show less
