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Women Don't Run?Election Aversion and Candidate Entry

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  • Kristin Kanthak
  • Jonathan Woon

Abstract

To study gender differences in candidate emergence, we conduct a laboratory experiment in which we control the incentives potential candidates face, manipulate features of the electoral environment, and measure beliefs and preferences. We find that men and women are equally likely to volunteer when the representative is chosen randomly, but that women are less likely to become candidates when the representative is chosen by an election. This difference does not arise from disparities in abilities, risk aversion, or beliefs, but rather from the specific competitive and strategic context of campaigns and elections. Thus, we find evidence that women are election averse, whereas men are not. Election aversion persists with variations in the electoral environment, disappearing only when campaigns are both costless and completely truthful.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristin Kanthak & Jonathan Woon, 2015. "Women Don't Run?Election Aversion and Candidate Entry," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 59(3), pages 595-612, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:59:y:2015:i:3:p:595-612
    DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12158
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Catherine Eckel & Lata Gangadharan & Philip J. Grossman & Nina Xue, 2021. "The gender leadership gap: insights from experiments," Chapters, in: Ananish Chaudhuri (ed.), A Research Agenda for Experimental Economics, chapter 7, pages 137-162, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Amanda Goodall & Margit Osterloh & Mandy Fong, 2020. "Women Shy Away From Competition – How To Overcome It," CREMA Working Paper Series 2020-21, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    3. Grossman, Philip J. & Eckel, Catherine & Komai, Mana & Zhan, Wei, 2019. "It pays to be a man: Rewards for leaders in a coordination game," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 197-215.
    4. Peveri, Julieta & Sangnier, Marc, 2023. "Gender differences in re-contesting decisions: New evidence from French municipal elections," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 574-594.
    5. Lippmann, Quentin, 2023. "Persistence of incumbents and female access to political positions," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 327-349.
    6. Mónica Ferrín, 2022. "Reassessing Gender Differences in COVID‐19 Risk Perception and Behavior," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 103(1), pages 31-41, January.
    7. Johnsen, Åshild A. & Finseraas, Henning & Hanson, Torbjørn & Kotsadam, Andreas, 2023. "The malleability of competitive preferences," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    8. Nathan Barrymore & Cristian L. Dezső & Benjamin C. King, 2022. "Gender and competitiveness when earning for others: Experimental evidence and implications for sponsorship," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(5), pages 905-934, May.
    9. Poutvaara, Panu & Graefe, Andreas, 2022. "Do Americans Favor Female or Male Politicians? Evidence from Experimental Elections," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264117, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    10. Joaquín Galeno & Francisco Gallego & Felipe González, 2019. "¿Candidatas o espectadoras? Un análisis del impacto de la ley de cuotas," Estudios Públicos, Centro de Estudios Públicos, vol. 0(154), pages 7-41.
    11. Lippmann, Quentin, 2021. "Are gender quotas on candidates bound to be ineffective?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 661-678.
    12. Lassébie, Julie, 2020. "Gender quotas and the selection of local politicians: Evidence from French municipal elections," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    13. Woon, Jonathan & Kanthak, Kristin, 2019. "Elections, ability, and candidate honesty," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 735-753.

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