Gender and electoral communication: How differences in non-verbal and verbal behavior lead to different evaluations of male and female politicians

• This paper presents the results of an experiment in political communication that was designed to maximize what McDermott (2002) terms “experimental realism.” Participants are presented with a believable and engaging stimulus in the form of a candidate webcast. They view one of four different versions of a political speech delivered by a candidate, who is played by a male actor or by a female actor, depending on the treatment. Physiological response technology is used to capture participants’ unconscious reactions to the speech. The objective is to see how both the verbal and non-verbal behavior of male and female candidates influences how they are evaluated.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Statsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Political Science (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

nonverbal communication

candidate gender

candidate evaluations

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kon (subject category)