Language Choice in Reporting Gender Gap Influences Women’s Response to Political Inequality

A subtle shift in how media outlets report on gender inequality in politics could spark greater action to address it, according to research published December 23 in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. The study found that describing Congress as “71% male” rather than “29% female” made women angrier about the disparity and more likely to take steps to change it.

“While most Americans acknowledge that gender diversity in leadership is important, framing the gender gap as women’s underrepresentation may desensitize the public,” explains Emily Balcetis, associate professor of psychology at New York University and study co-author. “Taking the same statistics but reframing the issue as men’s overrepresentation elicits stronger emotional responses and spurs people to do something to increase access to leadership for men and women.”

The researchers conducted a series of experiments where participants read mock news articles about gender gaps in politics and business. When political leadership disparities were framed as men’s overrepresentation, women participants reported more anger and were more likely to take concrete actions like writing letters supporting equality legislation and donating to bias reduction programs.

However, the framing effect had important limitations. It did not influence perceptions of gender gaps in business leadership, and men’s emotional responses remained unchanged regardless of how the disparity was described.

“Our society benefits when we have women as well as men as leaders in politics and business,” notes Rachel Godsil, professor at Rutgers Law School and study co-author. “It is crucial that we can all be confident that no one is shut out of leadership positions because of their gender.”

Lead author Usman Liaquat, who conducted the research at NYU and is now at Cornell University, emphasized the study’s practical implications: “Framing the gender gap in politics as due to men’s advantages—in this case, men’s overrepresentation—as opposed to women’s disadvantages not only affects how women view this concern, but also prompts action to combat it.”

The findings come at a pivotal moment, as Vice President Kamala Harris’s recent loss in the 2024 presidential election has reignited discussions about persistent gender disparities in political leadership. While the research suggests that subtle changes in how media outlets discuss these gaps could help mobilize support for addressing them, it also highlights the complexity of the challenge, as different groups respond differently to various framings of the issue.