Do personality traits and personal values predict career efficacy and career progression of successful political women? An exploratory study

Women constitute slightly more than half of the world population, yet they represent just 24 % of all the legislators in parliaments in all the world. Personality theorists have suggested that in this era of personalization of politics dispositional characteristics of politicians may contribute to political success. We need more empirical studies which explore whether some dispositional variables favor women’s political career progression and efficacy. The main aim of our research was to examine the extent to which the five factors of personality and the personal values account for political career self-efficacy beliefs and career progression, among women elected at the Italian National parliament. A tied comparison of traits and values revealed that personality traits “trumped” personal values in the prediction of political career efficacy. Our results indicate that extraversion was the best predictor of perceived efficacy beliefs. Conservation and extraversion were the main predictors of women’s career progression. Our findings attest, moreover, that the relationship of extraversion and conservation with career progression was partially accounted by the empowerment efficacy dimension of career efficacy.