Citation

Merritt S. Sex Roles 1982; 8(9): 1025-1036.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1982, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/BF00290026

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between political ambition and sex among local officeholders. Based on interviews with men and women municipal legislators, the study examines subjects' background characteristics and behavior in office in relation to political ambition. A discriminant function analysis identifies two underlying dimensions on which the male and female ambitious and non-ambitious groups cluster. The first function, based on characteristics the person brings to office, distinguishes (a) moderately ambitious groups and retiring women from (b) highly ambitious groups and retiring men. The second function which distinguishes (a) ambitious men from (b) ambitious women and retiring men has to do with "behavior in office" characteristics. The contrast between ambitious women and ambitious men suggests different ways of viewing benefits of political office which have implications for change in the political system.