laissez-faire leader

the type of leader who provides little guidance for group activities, interacts only minimally with the group members, and provides input only when directly asked. Research suggests that groups with laissez-faire leaders are less effective than are groups with democratic leaders or with authoritarian leaders. [defined by Kurt Lewin and his colleagues in experimental studies of leadership styles]

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Psychology term of the day

January 3rd 2025

syphilis

n. a contagious disease caused by infection with the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum. Syphilis is usually a sexually transmitted disease, but it can be transmitted through a break or cut in the skin or mucous membrane; it can also be transmitted by an infected pregnant woman to an unborn child. Untreated, syphilis progressively destroys body tissues, particularly those of the heart and nervous system. See also cerebral syphilis; general paresis.