Abstract

In spite of substantial improvements in women’s societal position over the last few decades, to date we still observe a persistent gender gap in political efficacy – or political self-confidence. Most studies focusing on this topic depart from structural or situational explanatory frameworks, in which women’s limited capacity to develop the necessary attitudes to participate in politics is underlined. Nevertheless, these frameworks have structurally failed to explain this particular manifestation of inequality. This study investigates a prime premise of an alternative, thus far underexplored, explanatory model, namely the sex-role socialization model. In particular, this study investigates the validity of the assertion that parental socialization processes constitute the basis of the gender gap in efficacy. To this end, we use the data collected among adolescents (16-18 years old) within the framework of the Belgian Political Panel Survey (BPPS, 2006-2008). The analyses show that the gender gap can be primarily reduced to mothers’ inability to foster the political efficacy of their daughters, while the opposite holds with respect to that of their sons. This effect is further indirectly bolstered by mothers’ inability to encourage their daughters to collect political knowledge, while they do succeed in encouraging their sons. There is no evidence that these gender differences also exist with respect to the father.

How to Cite:

de Leeuw, S., (2018) “Same difference: gegenderde politieke socialisatieprocessen in adolescentie: een Multi Group Structural Equations-analyse van primaire politieke socialisatieprocessen in adolescentie”, Sociologos 39(4), 405–427. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sociologos.86991