Study: Men listen less attentively to women in the Landtag - Study exposes gender bias in Arizona's legislature as men tune out women

A recent study has revealed a clear gender gap in attention during parliamentary debates in Arizona. When female lawmakers speak in Arizona's state legislature, their male colleagues pay nearly six percentage points less attention than when men are speaking. The findings suggest this imbalance is driven entirely by the behaviour of male politicians. Researchers used specialised software to track eye movements and phone use during speeches. Their analysis found that women, by contrast, listen equally to both male and female speakers. The study focused on Arizona's legislature during a period when women made up 26 percent of its members. Since then, female representation has grown, reaching nearly 33 percent in the current term. Yet the attention gap remained, regardless of factors like speech length or time of day. Videos of legislative sessions showed lawmakers occasionally glancing at their phones. But the data confirmed a consistent pattern: men were less engaged when women spoke. The authors stressed that unequal attention could undermine democratic debate, as ideas from female representatives risk being overlooked. No direct comparisons were made to earlier terms, and the upcoming election in March 2026 may shift the gender balance further. Current polling, however, does not yet indicate how representation might change in Arizona. The findings highlight a persistent disparity in how male and female lawmakers are heard in Arizona. With women now making up nearly a third of the legislature, the study's results raise questions about fairness in political discussions. Researchers have called for greater awareness of how attention shapes decision-making in Arizona's legislature.