Work

Gender differences and similarities in news media effects on political candidate evaluations: a meta-analysis

Year: 2022

Type: review

Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis

Abstract: How do different types of media coverage shape—and potentially bias—voter evaluations of women and men politicians? Theoretically reviewing 50 experimental studies and statistically synthesizing 671 evaluation outcomes from more than 23,000 participants, this meta-analytic review shows that gender bias in media-induced voter evaluations is conditional rather than universal. Our findings suggest that voters respond similarly to most media messages about women and men candidates. When gender-differentiated media effects are found, for instance, based on trait, appearance, or family coverage of politicians, this is mostly harmful for women candidates as it reaffirms gender stereotypical beliefs and lowers their viability ratings and vote preferences. Shedding light on the conditional nature of media-driven voter bias, this study adds to a better understanding of how the mediation of gender stereotypes sustains the underrepresentation of women in politics.

Source: Journal of Communication

DOI: 10.1093/joc/jqac042

Authors: Tobias Rohrbach, Loes Aaldering, Daphne Joanna Van der Pas

Institutions: University of Fribourg, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Language: English

Topic: Gender Politics and Representation

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,878