Women Politicians’ Role Model Effects: The Influence of Shared Identities Beyond Gender

Women consistently report lower levels of political interest and political ambition than men. Studies have examined how women politicians as role models can make women more politically engaged, but studies have not typically examined additional shared identities beyond gender. I propose that women politicians with whom women share additional identities will be perceived as more relatable and inspiring and, consequently, have stronger role model effects on women’s political engagement. Through a conjoint experiment (Study 1), I find that having additional shared identities with a woman politician increases perceptions of her as relatable and inspiring. However, a survey experiment with novel video treatments depicting a woman politician’s story (Study 2) did not produce positive role model effects on women’s political interest, internal political efficacy, or nascent political ambition – regardless of additional shared racial and partisan identity with the woman politician. Moreover, the video treatment had remarkably different effects across White and Black women, regardless of additional shared racial and partisan identity. An observational analysis (Study 3) replicates the finding that additional shared racial and partisan identity with women political representatives is not systematically correlated with higher levels of political interest. These findings carry important implications for understanding women politicians’ role model effects and the potential of role models to increase women’s political engagement.