Dans un texte co-écrit avec Stephen Quinlan et Ian McAllister, la professeure Ruth Dassonneville s’intéresse à la manière dont les électeurs perçoivent les femmes en politique. Leurs résultats suggèrent que les femmes seraient plus populaires que les hommes, mais auraient davantage de mal à convertir cette popularité en votes.
EXTRAIT : The research into how voters view women and men leaders has come to mixed conclusions. There is some evidence that the public uses gender stereotypes to evaluate female candidates. For example, women are characterised as kind, helpful and caring. Voters don't tend to associate these traits with the image of a strong leader, who should exercise authority and make difficult decisions.
This is also reflected in how the mass media treats women candidates. For example, the media often portrays women in the context of their families, something that occurs less frequently with men.