Exploring courage in followers: psychometric instrument analysis and literature review

Overview

This research project centers around the validation of a newly developed psychometric instrument designed to measure 'courage in followers' - a timely and underexplored construct in leadership research. The project offers a unique opportunity for a student to work directly on a publishable paper intended for submission to a top-tier leadership journal. This project will suit students interested in organisational behaviour, leadership, and the quantitative side of psychological research.

You will be provided with a $2000 stipend to cover the duration of the program, paid in two instalments. You will be required to attend both an induction and final presentation to receive both payments.

Research activities

Research activities will include:

• conducting statistical analyses to validate the new scale (e.g., factor analysis, reliability testing, construct validity assessments)
• reviewing and synthesising academic literature on follower courage, followership, and related psychological constructs
• assisting in the interpretation and presentation of results in manuscript form
• collaborating with the supervisor on possible journal submission and academic writing processes.

The project will run over 6 weeks during the university vacation period. You will be expected to commit approximately 20–25 hours per week, with flexibility negotiated as needed.

Outcomes

Expected outcomes of this project are:

• a deeper understanding of psychometric validation processes and applied statistics
• a comprehensive literature review on courage in followers and related constructs
• co-authoring a paper prepared for submission to a peer-reviewed leadership journal
• valuable experience for students considering honours or postgraduate research in business psychology, leadership, or HRM.

If successful, you will will receive a Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES) scholarship as per Faculty of Business and Law guidelines.

Skills and experience

To participate in this project, you should:

• have a strong interest in statistics, research design, and psychological measurement
• have familiarity with at least one statistical software package (e.g., SPSS, R, Stata, or Jamovi)

Academic writing experience is desirable but not essential.

This poject is open to  students at any level looking to gain hands-on experience in research and data analysis.

Scholarships

You may be eligible to apply for a research scholarship.

Explore our research scholarships

Keywords

• psychometric instrument
• leadership research
• follower courage
• scale validation
• quantitative research
• statistical analysis
• organisational behaviour
• construct validity
• factor analysis
• research methods

Contact

alain.desales@qut.edu.au