A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Physical appearance and elections: An inequality perspective
Authors: Bahamonde Hector, Sarpila Outi
Publisher: Wiley
Publication year: 2023
Journal: Political Psychology
eISSN: 1467-9221
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12940
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12940
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/181591433
A consensus seems to exist around physically attractive candidates winning elections more often. Unfortunately, we have limited understanding of how voters assess candidates with socioeconomically (dis)advantageous physical appearances. To bridge this gap, we studied the electoral consequences of candidates looking upper class, middle class, or working class. Using official electoral data for the 2017 Finnish municipal elections and a novel data set based on a representative sample of the Finnish population (N = 7,920), we found that Finnish citizens systematically vote for candidates who look like they have (and do have) upper-class occupations. Furthermore, the data strongly suggest that a systematic electoral penalty exists, particularly for female candidates who look like they have (and do have) working-class occupations.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |