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Stereotypes Analysis

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Double binds, stereotypes, and gendered party ideologies all influence the voter’s perception of a candidate running for office. Stereotypes are quick, rapid based judgments made when evaluating a person (Lammers, Gordijn & Otten, 2009). Typically, when these rapid based judgments are created, they are often based on short glimpses of a person’s characteristics and positively or negatively lead to evaluation (Lammers, Gordijn & Otten, 2009; Sanbonmatsu, 2002). What happens when these stereotypes are formulated, it is hard to let go of the initial evaluation (Olivola & Todorov, 2010; Schneider, 2014). There are certain trait characteristics that are stereotypically seen to be dominant of female candidates. Stereotypically, female candidates …show more content…

They will ultimately lead to the existence of double binds, where a woman to be deemed fit for a leadership positions, needs to maintain an unrealistic balance between feminine and masculine (Jamieson, 1995). In trying to balance this line, women are seen incompetent or too aggressive. Either way, women do not usually succeed in the equilibrium. During the 2008 Presidential Election when Sarah Palin was named the Republican Vice Presidential candidate, the presence of gender stereotypes and double binds was abundantly clear to voters watching the news. Sarah Palin received six times more media attention then her Democratic competition Joe Biden; however, little of the attention focused on her leadership experience, or invigorating the Republican party, rather it discussed her appearance and incompetence (Wasburn & Wasburn, 2011). Sarah Palin was described as a strong woman because she was a mother who decided against an abortion when doctors discovered her youngest son was going to be born with Down syndrome. However, it was concluded the power and time constraints of the Vice Presidency would render it impossible for her to be a good mother (Carlin & Winfrey, 2009). This put Palin in a clear double standard claiming she is a strong leader because she is a mother, but she is a weak leader because she is a

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