Examining the Effect of Supervisors’ Humble Leadership on Immediate and Delayed Well-Being in Postgraduate Students

Abstract

Despite supervisors playing a crucial role in the cultivation of postgraduate students, the impact of supervisors’ leadership on postgraduate students’ well-being is poorly understood. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study explores the immediate and delayed effect of supervisors’ humble leadership on postgraduate students’ well-being, together with the mediating effects of basic psychological need satisfaction and the moderating effects of power distance orientation. Using a survey experiment (Study 1) and multi-timepoint questionnaire (Study 2) design, this paper finds that supervisors’ humble leadership influences postgraduate students’ well-being through its effect on basic psychological need satisfaction. Power distance orientation moderates the relationships between supervisors’ humble leadership, basic psychological need satisfaction, and postgraduate students’ well-being; specifically, humble leadership leads to higher basic psychological need satisfaction and well-being in students with high power distance orientation compared to those with low power distance orientation. This research validates the application of SDT in higher education and clarifies how supervisors’ humble leadership influences postgraduate students’ well-being, providing practical guidance for its improvement.

Keywords

• supervisors’ humble leadership
• postgraduate students’ well-being
• basic psychological need satisfaction
• power distance orientation