Women's advancement as chairpersons in lower state legislative chambers: 1979 and 1983

Political culture and sex role stereotypes are hypothesized to have a significant association with women's advancement as committee chairpersons in 25 randomly sampled lower state legislative chambers.This article assumed women representatives would advance as chairpersons over time and hypothesized that three political subcultures (Moralistic, Individualistic, Traditionalistic) would affect patterns of female advancement and representation as committee chairs. In addition, patterns of socialization and widelyheld stereotypes of women's appropriate role suggest the likelihood that the pattern of specialization is in care-oriented committees.Women's advancement to committee chairs increased somewhat from 1979 to 1983. Political culture was significantly associated with women's advancement as chairpersons, with most advances occurring in Moralistic states. Surprisingly, northern states dominated by an Individualistic subculture had fewer chairpersons than Traditionalistic southern legislatures. Finally, women tended to be better represented as chairs of care-oriented committees. Their successful advancement in these committees far outstrips their representation in lower legislative chambers.