Российская идентичность и отношение к политическим лидерам: роль надежной национальной идентификации и национального нарциссизма

Экспериментальная психология. 2025. Т. 18. № 3. С. 136–149.

Gulevich O., Gnezdilov A.

For several decades, psychologists have been studying the factors that influence attitudes toward political leaders. Studies have shown that such factors can be characteristics of the leader, followers, and the situation. However, it can be assumed that these factors interact with each other. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between national identity and attitudes toward political leaders with different interaction styles. Russian respondents (N=2008) took part in the study. They completed questionnaires to measure two forms of Russian identity - secure national identification and national narcissism. They then read a description of a hypothetical political leader and rated their effectiveness at solving several problems. The descriptions differed by gender (male vs. female) and the style of leadership (authoritarian vs. democratic), as well as by the characteristics of the problems (requiring “soft” vs. “hard” actions). The results showed that respondents perceived a political leader with a democratic style as more effective than an authoritarian one. This pattern was manifested by Russians with different levels of national identity, in attitudes towards men and women who perform as the president, and in situations requiring “hard” vs. “soft” actions. However, individuals with low levels of national narcissism expressed this pattern more strongly than individuals with high levels. The discussion considers possible explanations for the interaction between different forms of Russian identity and preference for political leaders.

Keywords: национальная идентичность, политическое лидерство, political leadership, leadership style, national identity, стиль лидерства, national narcissism, национальный нарциссизм, national satisfaction, национальная удовлетворенность

Publication based on the results of: Citizen-state interaction in the context of digital transformation: Political, psychological, and managerial factors and barriers (2025)