Followership and neuroscience

Niki Glaveli

Chapter 35 in Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Neuroscience and Management, 2026, pp 124-126 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Followership has emerged as a distinct area of inquiry within leadership studies. Early approaches framed it in relation to leadership through leader-centric, follower-centric, and relational lenses. More recent perspectives view followership as both a role and a dynamic social process shaped by leader–follower interactions. Integrating neuroscience adds new insights into its biological and emotional foundations. Neuroimaging shows that followers’ brains respond uniquely to leadership cues, with trust, motivation, and emotion regulation playing central roles. Hormones such as cortisol and oxytocin, along with regions like the amygdala and anterior insula, influence followership styles. This brain-based perspective deepens understanding and informs more effective leadership practices.

Keywords: Followership; Leadership; Neuroscience; Trust; Cognitive processing; Leader–follower dynamics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035332885
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