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o
Hypothesis d: Across both versions of the survey, respondents’ will use more
positive adjectives to describe the version 1 female candidate than they will to
describe the version 2 female candidate.
Methodology
In order to gauge the impact of media coverage on respondents’ perceptions of candidates for
public office, an experimental survey was developed. Two versions of a survey were designed to
test the hypothesis that differential media coverage received by women will influence voter
preferences for women candidates. Respondents were randomly assigned to complete one of the
two versions of the survey. Both versions of the survey provided brief, one paragraph
descriptions of two hypothetical candidates for U.S. Senate. In one version of the survey, one of
the candidates was described using characteristics defined in previous content analyses and
research on the differential media coverage received by women running for elected office. These
characteristics include emphasis on the candidate’s viability, information about the candidate’s
standing in political polls, focus on issues that are perceived as strengths for women candidates
(like education), and ignore or minimize the candidate’s experience as it relates to the current
election. The first description provided reads as follows:
Profile 1: Jennifer Harris (version 1)
Following a heated primary battle for her party’s nomination, Jennifer Harris’ Senate campaign has slowly gained
enough momentum to capture the attention of both the Democratic and Republican National Committees. A mother
of two, Harris has focused on improving educational opportunities and accountability, capturing bipartisan support
around the state. Her effervescent approach to campaigning has won over even her harshest critics within her party.
Washington insiders have suggested that if Ms. Harris can beat the odds and win this election, she would be a
moderate voice of compromise within her party.
The paragraph describing the second candidate focused more dominantly on male issues
(economy and defense) of importance to the candidate. The discussion of candidate viability for
Convention