The Impact of Female Stigma Perception on the Tendency to Choose High-Risk Leadership Positions

Based on the career trajectories of women in the new era and the phenomenon of the 'glass cliff'—where women are more likely to be promoted to leadership positions during organizational crises, grounded in the emotional events theory, this study investigates the mechanism of how female stigma perception affects the choice tendency of high-risk leadership positions. Using multilevel regression analysis based on data collected from 278 valid questionnaires, the findings reveal that female’s heightened stigma perception increases the likelihood of choosing high-risk leadership positions. High stigma perception enhance the competition motive for dominant status, which in turn amplifies the choice tendency of high-risk leadership positions. Conversely, low stigma perception fosters the competition motive for attaining prestige status, which diminishes the willingness to assume high-risk leadership positions. Furthermore, the impostor phenomenon negatively moderates the relationship between stigma perception and competition motive for prestige status, while workplace ostracism positively moderates the relationship between stigma perception and competition motive for dominant status. The study concludes with recommendations directed at the societal institutional level, organizational management practices, and individual level.