Sex and the political process: An analysis of sex stereotypes in 1998 senatorial and gubernatorial campaigns.

Abstract

By triangulating quantitative content analysis of political ads and newspaper coverage with qualitative interviews of political candidates significant and interesting results are revealed concerning candidates, stereotypes, issues, images and media messages from the 1998 Gubernatorial and Senatorial campaigns. Further, the study uncovers several of the factors that may lead to the underrepresentation of women in the political process. The findings in this study indicate that significant differences exist in the types of issues and images that male and female candidates portray in the political ads that they produce. Explanations for those differences often lie in the qualitative interviews as candidates explain why they chose a given issue or image trait. Significant differences also exist in media messages concerning male and female candidates. Further these differences are even more pronounced in articles concerning debates rather than political ads or general campaign coverage.

Thus, the data generated in this study expand Kahn's (1996) assumptions concerning stereotypes of women in the media. Further, the work adds to the literature exploring political advertising as well as research concerning political debates. Finally, the work augments Fox's (1997) work concerning the gender dynamics in congressional elections by exploring Senatorial and Gubernatorial campaigns.