Adolescent Attitudes Toward Male and Female Political Candidates:

Abstract

Adolescents' attitudes toward male and female fictional political candidates were measured in a three-factor experimental design. Male and female high school students were asked to rate the personality of male or female political candidates before and after finding out the election outcome. The students made causal attributions about the reasons for the election outcomes and predicted the personal consequences the candidates would experience. The personality ratings, causal attributions, and future consequences showed primarily outcome effects rather than sex of a subject or sex of candidate effects. The adolescents responded differentially to the fictional candidate as a function of the candidate's success or failure rather than the candidate's gender. These findings are discussed in light of real world explanations and applications.