January 30, 2025

New research from Susquehanna University’s Rolfe Peterson, associate professor of political science, takes a closer look at how gender traits — rather than gender identity alone — ­influence political ambition.

“Recent research on gender and politics argues that traditional ways of measuring gender — as simply male or female — are too simplistic,” Peterson said. “Some experts believe that when studying differences in outcomes like political ambition, we need a more refined approach to understanding gender.”

Peterson’s study, conducted in partnership with Susquehanna alumna Elizabeth Bosanko ’23 and Carl Palmer, of Illinois State University, explores how personality traits associated with gender, alongside gender identity, shape early interest in running for political office. The article, Moving Beyond Binary Measures of Gender in Political Ambition, was published in Political Research Quarterly.

The researchers analyzed survey data from 800 respondents, with women comprising 51.5% of the sample. They used the Bem Sex Roles Inventory to assess respondents’ identification with traits traditionally categorized as masculine, feminine or androgynous. This framework pairs traits like assertiveness, independence and dominance with masculinity; and nurturing, empathy and sensitivity with femininity.

Peterson’s team found that traits typically associated with femininity were linked to lower political ambition, while traits associated with masculinity significantly boosted political ambition, regardless of the respondent’s gender identity or sex.

“What is particularly notable about our findings is just how robust they were,” Peterson said. “Masculine traits, which are present in all people, strongly correlate with having thought about running for political office. It’s notable that while men scored slightly higher on masculine traits on average, the difference wasn’t large, and women also exhibited these traits.”

These results highlight the need for future research on political behavior to move beyond simplistic measures of gender and adopt more nuanced approaches, Peterson said. He is also interested in studying how different forms of encouragement — when and to whom it is offered — influence political ambition and how personality traits evolve across different life stages.

“There’s a clear difference between men and women when it comes to political ambition,” Peterson said. “Understanding this imbalance is critical, as it points to inequalities in opportunities and representation that extend to the country’s highest political positions.”