Gender Difference in Willingness and Capacity for Deliberation

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the gender gap in deliberation, focusing on three facets: willingness to deliberate, capacity for deliberation, and facilitation techniques aimed at reducing the gender gap. It hypothesizes that women will be less willing to deliberate but more likely to engage in strictly defined desired deliberative behaviors. Relying on original survey and experimental data, this paper finds women to be more willing to deliberate. However, men’s negative deliberative behaviors—particularly cutting others off or dominating speech––undermine women’s efforts to be effective deliberators. Finally, the two innovative facilitation methods outlined in the article eliminate the gender gap.