Gender Differences in Political Knowledge
Society today is familiar with gender inequalities and we are surrounded by gender stereotypes on a day to day basis. However, we don’t realize to what extent gender stretches in what we know as members of society. Empirical studies frequently indicate rather low levels of political knowledge among citizens. A familiar finding is the gender difference in political knowledge: Women show less political knowledge than men. Some of us may think this situation is only prevalent here in the states, however, studies dating back decades show us that this gender gap is evident internationally. Recently, 2 faculty members from the University of Hagen, Germany, formulated a new study contending previous conventional research which argues that the gender difference in political knowledge is subject to socialization, structural factors, and biology. Toni Alexander Ihme and Markus Tausendpfund, emphasize the relevance of gender stereotypes as a situational pressure reducing the performance of women in political knowledge tests. To say the least, the results were quite inquiring.
In accordance, unequal political knowledge between men and women is primarily a result results of socialization, structural factors, and biology. Previous studies have shown numerous negative consequences these factors bring upon woman in our society. For instance, many would argue that if women had the same conditions in education, income, occupation, free time, etc. as men, the gender gap would be smaller. In this research study, “stereotype threat” is being tested. This topic refers to how a situational threat undermines performance originating form negative stereotyping about one’s social group. The effects have been shown for various groups, not just gender. “For example, Schmader and Johns (2003) found that priming self-relevant negative stereotypes reduced the working memory of threatened groups.”
The research was conducted through an online survey and experiment. They were able to summarize stereotype threat in four statements. First, every social group is vulnerable to a stereotype threat; all that is necessary is the simple existence of a negative stereotype regarding the social group you officially or unofficially are associated with. Next, a negative stereotype must be made prominent to be considered a threat. Third, stereotype threat is more likely to affect difficult tasks. Lastly, the effect of stereotype is independent of individual experiences. “A personal history of success in a given domain does not render the individual immune to stereotype threat. In fact, the more successful an individual is in a certain domain, the more likely the activation of a negative stereotype poses a threat. This leads to the ironic outcome that especially highly capable and motivated individuals are prone to stereotype threat effects”(Ihme & Tausendpfund). This leads us to the first study conducted. The intention was to show whether women are truly less politically knowledgeable in comparison to men and whether the results from a formulated political knowledge test are influenced by activation of gender stereotypes. The average age of respondents was 34 years. 74.7 percent of the individuals participating in the study were female – the majority were psychology students. The remaining students were either students of politics or other fields of study. The procedure consisted of the respondents answering two questionnaires (men/women). The questionnaire included 16 item. Four items each were meant to measure the gender related ability assessment of political knowledge, mathematical ability, technological ability, and language ability. The respondents were asked to respond using a scale (from 1= not at all to 7= extremely). In conformity with the stereotype, participants rated men as more proficient in math and technology than women. Also in conformity with stereotype, women showed to be more proficient than men with regards to language. The results showed political knowledge differences only to be evident in students of psychology. Hereby, the researchers were able to conclude that participants showed little to no social desirability bias.
The second study tested the hypothesis that the activation of gender stereotypes effects on performance in a political knowledge test. “Female participants who are subjected to the stereotype perform worse on a test of political knowledge test than female participant who are no subjected to the stereotype, as well as are male participants.”(Ihme & Tausendpfund). The idea that an induction of an avoidance focus might impair their information recall. In order to investigate the possibility the researchers gave the option of “don’t know” – answers, and items they were asked to solve. The independent variables were the participants’ gender, field of study (psychology vs politics), and stereotype activation (stereotype not activated vs. stereotype activated by gender-question vs stereotype activated by gender difference statement). The control constant, first condition, no question was asked nor was there a mention of gender before the test. There was two different ways they included. Stereotype activation was first conveyed by asking the participants to indicate gender before the test, a rather subtle approach. The third condition, the test instruction mentioned that the particular political knowledge test they were about to take had shown gender differences in the past but the direction for the differences was not mentioned. Members were randomly appointed to the three various conditions. Results for the stereotype not activated condition didn’t differ much. It wasn’t until the stereotype activated questions that a gender gap emerged. The greatest gap incurred with the third variable where past results were brought to the participants attention. Female participants in the first and second condition did not differ in test scores, however female participants did significantly better than those in the third s=condition. The men’s results showed that men in the first condition did worse than those in the third condition. Not to mention, the means displayed a rise in the number of “don’t know” –answers for women.
In closing, two conclusions emerged from the experiment. First, there is a gender stereotype relating to political knowledge. Secondly, the activation of this stereotype proved to take a toll on the results of the political knowledge test depending on their gender; thus political knowledge us subject to situational factors, as the one tested in the experiment.
The approach these researchers took were quite peculiar and out of line from what I had inferred the experiment would look like based on the abstract. Personally, I believe that the variables should have been subtle throughout and for a much greater number of participants would have delivered better results, a prevalent weakness in this study. However, the researchers were strong in proving that if gender stereotype was addressed to the individuals tested, the results would favor to common conception of women being less knowledgeable on this matter.