She's masculine, but is she presidential material? : an examination of masculine and feminine presidential characteristics.

Abstract

Previous research suggests that voters see the Office of the Presidency of the United States as a masculine office. Likewise, research examining characteristics of candidates for public office and voting behavior indicates that voters see middle-aged, white men as the most qualified person to hold the Office of the Presidency. Women who seek high public office, specifically the presidency, are seen as better able to handle issues of compassion (e.g., social issues) than issues of a militaristic or foreign policy nature. To see a woman as qualified to hold the Office of the Presidency, voters must also see her as having masculine characteristics. If voters see a female candidate as masculine, the evidence suggesting she is not at a disadvantage when running against a male candidate is mixed. The present study attempted to determine whether participants view a female candidate with masculine characteristics as more qualified for the Presidency than a male candidate with feminine characteristics. Specifically, it was hypothesized that (a) participants would rate men as more effective than women on masculine tasks, regardless of their job history, and (b) participants would rate women as more effective on feminine tasks, regardless of their job history. Results failed to support the hypotheses.