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Online course module
Designing Inclusive Group-Based Research: Misaligned Leadership Expectations and Psychological Territorial Infringement
Sage Research Methods: Inclusive Research Methodologies
SAGE Publications, Ltd.
06/10/2026
Abstract
This case study is based on original experimental research that examined the effects of misaligned leadership expectations on leaders’ experiences of psychological territorial infringement (PTI) in shared leadership contexts. The research placed undergraduate participants into small, virtual teams with manipulated role expectations to test how alignment or misalignment shaped leaders’ perceptions of appreciation from their team, team effectiveness, and team satisfaction. Leaders expecting sole authority became frustrated when followers anticipated shared leadership, exhibiting higher PTI, less appreciation, and lower satisfaction and perceived effectiveness.
The case study highlights several methodological and practical challenges in designing and conducting inclusive group-based research. It emphasizes the importance of structuring experimental conditions to account for differing expectations about leadership roles, managing role ambiguity to foster psychological safety, and framing participation in ways that are sensitive to diverse populations. Practical considerations such as online implementation, participant deception to strengthen role identification, and rigorous manipulation checks are also discussed.
This case study will be beneficial for advanced undergraduate students, early-career researchers, and instructors conducting or teaching about group-based research designs, leadership studies, and inclusivity-focused interventions. Readers will learn how methodological decisions, such as role assignment, task framing, and measurement strategies, directly influence both data integrity and participant experiences. The lessons go beyond leadership research, offering guidance for any study that examines shared decision-making, emergent roles, or collaboration in diverse teams. By applying these insights, researchers can design studies that are both methodologically rigorous and attentive to inclusivity.
Details
- Title
- Designing Inclusive Group-Based Research
- Publication Details
- Sage Research Methods: Inclusive Research Methodologies
- Resource Type
- Online course module
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications, Ltd.
- Format
- online
- Copyright
- © 2026 SAGE Publications Ltd
- Identifiers
- 99381852798906600
- Academic Unit
- Psychology; Usha Kundu, MD College of Health
- Language
- English
- Course Name
- Sage Research Methods: Inclusive Research Methodologies