Perceived characteristics of elected representatives.

"The present study deals with the perceived personal characteristics of members who are preferred by their peers to serve as spokesman in decision making interaction with representatives elected by other groups… . Results show clear-cut differences and are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that members do elect as representatives those whom they see as possessing superior procedural skill and intellectual competence… . [They] are not more outstanding than members least preferred in terms of… emotional characteristics such as helping, harmonizing, or making others feel at ease. Rather they are seen as personally 'strong'… dominating… resisting conformity pressures, and facing up to problems rather than running away from them." From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4GF93B. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)