Study: Blame men for political gridlock

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-01/uok-sbm012915.php

Public Release: 29-Jan-2015
University of Kansas

During the political gridlock that led to the 2013 federal government shutdown, the leading voices for compromise were the handful of female U.S. senators -- only 20 percent of the overall legislative body.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that women were so heavily involved in trying to end this stalemate," Maine Sen. Susan Collins said in the New York Times. "Although we span the ideological spectrum, we are used to working together in a collaborative way."

Was Collins correct? Would Congress be less dysfunctional if it consisted of 80 percent women instead of men?

It's likely, according to a new study co-authored by a University of Kansas researcher.

"One implication is that female legislators might talk about politics and deliberately engage the other party more than their male colleagues," said Patrick Miller, a KU assistant professor of political science. "That might have some effects on the kind of legislative environment we have. Maybe if we have more women in office, you'd have more communication, less fighting, and perhaps more legislating and less gridlock."

The researchers found that men in survey and experimental data were more likely than women to avoid cross-party political discussion, to judge political arguments based solely on what party is advancing them, and to form strong political opinions about the opposite party's positions without actually listening to the other side's reasoning.

"Male Democrats and Republicans more than female partisans expect interacting with the other party to be an unpleasant, conflictual, anxious, anger-filled experience," Miller said. "So as a result, they talk about politics with people in the other party less so than women."

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