Who Runs the World?: Collective Political Representation of Women, Political Efficacy, and Participation

In recent years, the number of women in political office has increased to the highest level in American history. This dissertation examined how increases in women’s representation might impact females and males both psychologically and behaviorally. Study 1 demonstrated that among representative samples of American adults surveyed over the period from 1948 to 2016, observed levels of women’s representation in elected office were positively associated with perceptions that one can participate effectively in politics; beliefs that government is responsive to citizens’ needs; and levels of voting and broader self-reported political participation among both females and males. In Study 2, females and males who anticipated larger increases in the number of women in elected office reported greater intentions to vote and engage in other forms of political participation. Study 3 utilized experimental methods to induce beliefs that the number of women in office would either increase or remain stagnant over the next 10 years. Among both females and males, inducing expectations that women’s representation would increase resulted in elevated beliefs that government would be responsive to citizens’ needs; greater anticipated feelings of enthusiasm; and reductions in anticipated anxiety and anger. Inducing beliefs that representation would increase had no impact on intended political participation for females but decreased intended participation among males. Overall, the results suggested remarkable similarities in how females and males might respond to future increases in the number of women in elected office. The findings have important implications for how demographic shifts among elected officials might empower non-dominant groups and advance democratic ideals that embrace equitable opportunities for political participation