CHARISMA, RITUAL, COLLECTIVE EFFERVESCENCE, AND SELF-ESTEEM

Durkheim expected ritual in conjunction with collective effervescence to transform the psyches of individuals; Weber held similar expectations for charisma. Yet, little work examines the social-psychological effects of charisma and ritual. The present study remedies this oversight, examining the effects of charisma, ritual, collective effervescence, and other variables on self-esteem.
Data are drawn from the Zablocki-Bradley-Aidala national sample of urban communes. This study includes 286 individuals from 44 groups. About half of these groups (including about half of the individuals) have a charismatic leader. The groups also have varying types and numbers of rituals.
The results indicate that the existence of a charismatic leader significantly interacts with group rituals and group size in affecting group members' self-esteem. Individual involvement in collective effervescence, and interpersonal power positively affect self-esteem regardless of charismatic leadership. The results are robust in the face of a variety of methodological controls.