Influence of Embodying Angela Merkel’s Avatar on Females’ Self-Perceived Leadership Traits: Comparing Priming vs. Proteus Effects

We investigated whether virtually embodying a successful female leader could foster empowerment. In a within-subjects study with 42 female participants, we tested three conditions: (i) Leader-Embodiment (embodying a Merkel-avatar), (ii) Self-Embodiment (embodying their own avatar), and (iii) Priming (seeing Merkel’s image while embodying their own avatar). Contrary to Proteus effect predictions, Leader-Embodiment did not enhance self-attributed leadership traits, either explicitly or implicitly. Nevertheless, participants felt less effective in the Priming condition than in Self-Embodiment, suggesting that clear identity separation may have triggered negative social comparison. In contrast, merging identities in Leader-Embodiment may have offered a protective effect. A key finding was that Leader-Embodiment was effective when participants attributed leadership traits to the role model, regardless of personal liking, whereas in the Priming condition, effectiveness depended primarily on liking. This suggests that embodiment engages psychological processes partly distinct from those involved in priming.