Female political candidates are more likely to face voter backlash when using negative language on the campaign trail, according to new research from Monash University.
The study, Sentiment on the Campaign Trail: Gender Differences in Candidates’ Use of Emotive Language, found that while opposition candidates often benefit from highlighting problems and dissatisfaction, women face constraints when using similar tactics.
Researchers analysed around 165,000 tweets from 2,662 candidates during the 2017 and 2019 snap UK elections. The findings showed women consistently used more positive and less negative language than men, regardless of whether they held office or were challenging for it. More than one million replies to those tweets were also examined, revealing that women expressing negative sentiment were more likely to receive adverse responses online.
Lead author Dr Charles Crabtree, Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, said the findings point to a different set of pressures for women in political communication.
“Female candidates aren’t simply choosing to be more positive – they’re responding to a different set of incentives,” Dr Crabtree said.
“We found that when women used negative language, they were more likely than men to face backlash from voters, receiving more negative replies and less engagement online. That creates a strategic dilemma: the kinds of messages that can be effective for men may actually hurt women on the campaign trail.”
“Women have a strategic incentive to behave in gender-typical ways to shield themselves from backlash on the campaign trail. Female candidates may avoid negativity not because of socialisation alone, but because they anticipate voter reactions and adjust their behaviour accordingly”
Dr Crabtree said the results reflect what researchers describe as a ‘double bind’, where women risk penalties for using messaging that can be effective in political contests.
“Women have a strategic incentive to behave in gender-typical ways to shield themselves from backlash on the campaign trail. Female candidates may avoid negativity not because of socialisation alone, but because they anticipate voter reactions and adjust their behaviour accordingly.”
The study notes that negative messaging can play a role in holding opponents to account, particularly in closely contested elections. However, if women are discouraged from using such approaches, it may affect how they challenge policies and engage in public debate.
Dr Crabtree said the findings have relevance in Australia, where women’s participation in politics has increased, even as scrutiny of communication styles continues.
“We’ve seen in Australia that female leaders are often judged not just on what they say, but how they say it. Our findings suggest these dynamics shape not only who runs for office, but how candidates campaign once they get there. If voters respond differently to the same behaviour depending on a candidate’s gender, that potentially limits the range of strategies available to women and reinforced gendered expectations about political behaviour.”
Researchers said the results highlight how campaign communication remains shaped by gender and called for further examination of how voters, parties and media respond to women in politics.
“Addressing gendered reactions to campaign rhetoric is not only a matter of fairness for candidates but is also essential for ensuring that all political candidates challenge power without disproportionate cost, and contribute to healthier democratic debate,” Dr Crabtree said.
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