Lah, Tia (2025) Who is at the Table? Homogeneous vs Diverse Group Deliberations in Citizen Assemblies on Gender-Salient Issues. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Gender has become an increasingly salient dimension of political polarization, yet little is known about how gender composition in deliberative settings influences attitudinal dynamics. This study examined whether gender-homogeneous discussion groups (all-male or all-female) produce greater attitude polarization than gender-heterogeneous groups when deliberating gender-salient university policies. Based on theories of social identity, deliberative democracy, and polarization, a within-subjects experimental design was used. Thirty-six university students (20 male, 16 female) participated in two 15-minute unmoderated group discussions, one in a homogeneous group and one in a heterogeneous group, focused on university policy programs. Attitude polarization was operationalized as changes in the strength (not direction) of individual preferences regarding gender-salient policies. Results showed no significant differences in polarization between homogeneous and heterogeneous discussions, nor between male and female participants in homogeneous groups. These findings challenge assumptions that demographic similarity inherently amplifies polarization and suggest that structured deliberative formats may mitigate identity-based reinforcement. The results underscore the importance of interaction norms over group composition in shaping opinion change.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Eichholtzer, A.C. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 29 Jul 2025 09:01 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Jul 2025 09:01 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5760 |
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