10.7910/DVN/L8UTOHFraile, MartaMartaFraile0000-0002-4123-2874Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasHarvard Dataverse2023Social SciencesFraile, MartaMartaFraileConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas2023-10-302023-10-312435415699906299408108330text/tab-separated-valuestext/tab-separated-valuestext/tab-separated-valuesapplication/x-stata-syntaxtext/tab-separated-valuestext/tab-separated-values1.0CC0 1.0Given women’s gains in employment, education, and economic status, the persistent gender gap in internal political efficacy remains a puzzle for social scientists. We go beyond standard socioeconomic explanations and consider gender roles, which, unlike socioeconomic situations, are a slow-moving force constrained by gendered socialization. Stereotypically feminine traits jar with stereotypical notions of politics in general, as competitive, and leaders as power-seeking and assertive. Drawing on observational data from an original survey fielded in Spain, we show that this incongruence accounts for women’s perception of having a low capacity to participate in politics. Results from a survey experiment suggest that this relationship is not set in stone, however. When politicians’ motivation is framed in line with feminine traits—as a public service rather than a struggle for power—women consider themselves just as capable as men of participating in politics. The results have implications for women’s political participation and representation in politics.