Women face substantial barriers in leadership due to societal norms, encountering backlash for deviating from communal stereotypes. Similarly, like female leaders, younger leaders might face backlash due to the incongruency between their age and leadership role, as higher status is associated with seniority and tenure in organizations. We thus investigate the impact of leader age and gender on leadership perceptions and aim to extend the role congruity theory by incorporating leader age. In Study 1, we conduct two parallel experiments for younger and older leaders, focusing on leadership perceptions of female and male leaders in the Forbes 30 under 30 and Forbes 400 rankings. In Study 2, we randomized participants to read a bio of a female or male founder who was either 25 or 65 years old. In both studies, results showed more positive impressions of female leaders compared to male leaders. Younger leaders were perceived as less prototypical leaders. The findings challenge role congruity theory by showing that female leaders are consistently rated more favorably than male leaders in prototypicality, effectiveness, and desirability, with no disproportionate disadvantages for younger or older female leaders. These studies reveal a gap between self-reported attitudes and perceived societal norms, suggesting potential social desirability biases or a disconnect between personal preferences and broader stereotypes, providing valuable insights for addressing age and gender biases in leadership contexts.
