However, there is theoretical disagreement about the conditions under which descriptive representation will translate into substantive representation. The empirical research to date on the substantive effects of descriptive representation has been hampered by the lack of appropriate cross-sectional research, leading to contradictory or unconvincing findings. The extant literature suggests several functional forms for the relationship between the representation of women and policy outcomes. We employ a flexible specification of this relationship to determine which theoretical account is supported by the empirical evidence. Moreover, we investigate whether the scope for a translation of descriptive representation into substantive representation is greatest during periods of policy innovation.
Descriptive representation is shown to affect policy outcomes.
This relationship is also found to vary according to the level of female representation and over time.