Gendered Perceptions of Legislative Influence

In this Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) working paper, Faculty Affiliate Jaclyn Kaslovsky (Washington University in St. Louis), Tabitha Koch (Rice University), and Michael P. Olson (Washington University in St. Louis) examine whether legislative and electoral accomplishments translate into perceived influence differently for women and men. Women legislators often report that they must work harder than men to achieve the same outcomes and recognition. Existing research supports this argument in their interactions with voters, yet little previous scholarship has examined whether this expectations gap also exists among legislative insiders. If legislative insiders systematically under-value women’s work, this indicates that women will have a harder time gaining influence within the chamber; alternatively, those working in and with the legislature may be more perceptive of women’s accomplishments. To examine this question, the authors combine peer evaluations of legislators from the North Carolina General Assembly with data on committee assignments, legislative effectiveness, electoral performance, and more. They find little systematic evidence that women legislators’ accomplishments are valued less than those of the men with whom they serve.

To learn more, read the full report here.

Photo: “Female symbol (black)” by Amit6 is licensed under CC BY 3.0.