Group Consciousness, Descriptive Representation and Perceptions of Democratic Institutions

Descriptive representation can signal substantive representation to members of marginalized groups. However, existing research has not examined the degree to which marginalized identities matter to members of these groups. Drawing on insights from social identity theory, I argue that marginalized individuals’ perception that their life’s trajectory is connected to those of other group members enhances perceptions that in- group representatives are responsive to their needs. Using original survey data and a factorial survey experiment from the United Kingdom, I show considerable variation in women’s gender consciousness (n = 3,548) and working class individuals’ class conscious- ness (n = 2,565). I find that individuals with high levels of consciousness perceive stronger improvements in responsiveness as descriptive representation of their in-group increases. These results contribute to the long-standing question whether descriptive representation matters and reveal how marginalized groups’ perceptions of democratic institutions hinge on descriptive representation in contexts of a rising emphasise on structural inequalities.