A Review of Implicit Followership Theories: Measurement, Mechanisms, and Future Directions

Implicit Followership Theories (IFTs), as an important cognitive framework for understanding leader–follower interactions, have received increasing attention in the fields of organizational behavior and leadership research in recent years. However, existing empirical studies remain fragmented in terms of research focus and methodological design, lacking systematic integration. Accordingly, this study adopts a systematic literature review to comprehensively examine empirical IFTs research published between 2010 and 2025, synthesizing findings across measurement instruments, research topics, and methodological characteristics. The results indicate that questionnaire surveys remain the dominant research approach in this field, although their cross-context applicability requires further validation. Regarding research topics, prior studies primarily focus on outcome variables of IFTs, emphasizing the effects of leaders' and followers' IFTs and their congruence on psychological, relational, and behavioral outcomes, while comparatively neglecting negative IFTs and their moderating mechanisms. Methodologically, most studies rely on cross-sectional single-source data or multi-wave matched data, with limited application of experimental designs, multilevel data, and samples drawn from special contexts. Based on these findings, this study recommends that future research develop context-sensitive measurement tools, incorporate experimental or quasi-experimental designs, and expand multilevel and special-context sampling to enhance causal inference and external validity. This study systematically integrates empirical evidence in the IFTs domain, clarifies methodological trends and research directions, and provides important guidance for future theoretical advancement and practical application.