Likeability trap

The likeability trap is a campaign tactic where one attempts to portray one's opponent, usually a woman, as calculating or power-hungry to harm their general likeability among the electorate. The emergence of many women as democratic heads of government in the late 20th and early 21st centuries enabled research into the mechanisms through which popular biases against women affect general voter approval of female elected officials.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was dubbed by communist opponents as the Iron Lady, is known for embracing the nickname, which would later become a general sobriquet for other strong-willed female politicians.
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Although the tactic is most well-studied in the context of politics, some writers such as Alicia Menendez have also observed similar phenomena in business management.[1]

Political campaigns

The likeability trap was long regarded as an effective campaign tactic because of an assumed mismatch between societal norms regarding gender roles and leadership roles. Any attempt by the target candidate to shift their public image towards a more leader-like persona implies shifting it away from the locally-ideal gender role and thus inviting backlash.

Mechanisms

The mechanisms of democratic bias against women are the subject of active research. A 2010 study examining pre- and post-election approval ratings of candidates in US state elections found that likeability was the single most important factor determining the success or failure of women candidates. In contrast, male candidates exhibited no such dependence, indicating that US voters were more willing to vote for a male candidate who they viewed as being qualified, but that they did not personally like.[2]

Countertactics

Some strategists have found gender display to be an effective countertactic for mitigating perceived misalignment between a candidate's gender role and leadership role.[3]

United States

Because the United States has never had a woman as president, the ability to conduct natural experiments at the national level studying electoral bias against women was extremely limited until the early 21st century. Interest in the phenomenon increased following Senator Hillary Clinton's ultimately-unsuccessful primary bid against then-Senator Barack Obama. A 2012 study by the Barbara Lee Family Foundation found that approximately 34 percent of US voters consider male candidates more qualified than female candidates. Bias against women in politics is more prevalent among younger voters than older voters. The effect was most pronounced among younger African-American voters, with 50 percent indicating that they would consider a male candidate more qualified than a female candidate.[4]

Then-presidential candidate Barack Obama himself was noted for employing the tactic against Clinton during the 2008 Democratic primaries when he responded to Clinton "You're likable enough, Hillary."[5] Obama's comments at the time were widely criticized, and Clinton defeated him in the New Hampshire primary a few days later. Although later observers assume Obama to have employed the tactic effectively, pundits at the time generally viewed the episode as unfavorable to Obama.[6]

Some writers such as Ann Friedman and Rebecca Traister attribute the lack of women in senior government roles to differing societal views towards traits like ambition and assertiveness in men as opposed to women.[7]

See also

References
  1. Schneider, Clare Marie; Tagle, Andee. "What 'likeability' really means in the workplace". npr.org. NPR. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  2. "Turning Point: the changing landscape for women candidates" (PDF). Barbara Lee Foundation. Barbara Lee Foundation. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  3. C. Williams, Joan. "How Women Can Escape the Likability Trap". nytimes. New York Times. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  4. "Pitch Perfect: Winning Strategies for Women Candidates" (PDF). WWW.BARBARALEEFOUNDATION.ORG Page 3 The Barbara Lee Family Foundation. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  5. Newton-Small, Jay. "Is Hillary Clinton 'Likable Enough'?". Time. Time. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  6. "Not So Likable". Top 10 Obama Backlash Moments. TIME. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  7. Friedman, Ann. "The Hillary Clinton Catch-22". The Cut. The Cut. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
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