How do Male & Female likely voters differ? Who is more likely to be using social media to research the candidates and who is more excited to vote? Find out!

1. Special Report:
Battle of the Sexes: Presidential Election 2012
American Pulse™, August-2012
3,447 respondents participated in the 2nd August
American Pulse conducted 8/20-8/27/2012.
Margin of error is +/- 1.7%.
BIGinsight™
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Suite 200
Worthington, OH 43085
Ph: 614-846-0146
© 2012, Prosper®

2. Social Media More Likely to Influence Men’s Votes
than Women’s Votes
What I learn about the candidates Somewhat/Strongly Agree
through social media influences Social Media Influences
my vote My Vote
Men Women
1 – Strongly disagree 22.8% 24.4%
2 – Somewhat disagree 12.5% 15.5%
34.6% 29.8%
3 – Neither agree nor
30.1% 30.3%
disagree
4 – Somewhat agree 27.3% 22.6%
5 – Strongly agree 7.3% 7.2%
More than one-third of Men likely to vote in 2012 agree that what they learn
about the candidates through social media influences how they will vote. Fewer
than 3 in 10 women agree.
Source: American Pulse™, August-2012, N=3447
© 2012, Prosper®

3. Men More Likely than Women to Use Social Media to
Learn About Candidates
Use Social Media Do Not Use Social Media
Sites Used for Election 2012
100% Information
90%
Men Women
80% 36.0%
43.2%
70%
Facebook 54.5% 50.6%
60% Twitter 21.8% 16.1%
50%
Pinterest 4.4% 5.1%
40%
30% 64.0%
56.8%
LinkedIn 10.2% 6.8%
20%
Google+ 16.0% 10.6%
10%
0%
YouTube 26.7% 16.2%
Men Women
Men who are likely to vote in 2012 are more likely than their female counterparts
to utilize social sites to conduct candidate research. Use of LinkedIn and Google+
are especially more prevalent among Likely Male Voters.
Source: American Pulse™, August-2012, N=3447
© 2012, Prosper®

4. Men More Likely than Women to Trust Social Media
For Election Information
The information about the candidates Somewhat/Strongly Agree
on social media is believable Social Media Information
Is Believable
Men Women
1 – Strongly disagree 17.5% 18.8%
2 – Somewhat disagree 21.2% 23.3%
26.3% 20.6%
3 – Neither agree nor
34.9% 37.3%
disagree
4 – Somewhat agree 20.7% 16.6%
5 – Strongly agree 5.7% 4.0%
More than a quarter of Men likely to vote in 2012 agree that information they
find about candidates on social media is believable. 1 in 5 Women likely to vote
feel the same.
Source: American Pulse™, August-2012, N=3447
© 2012, Prosper®

5. Men Also More Prone to Political Posting
Have you done or do you plan to do any of the following social media
activities? (Check all that apply)
Likely Voters
Take a quiz about your political stance
Check in at the polls/update your status when you vote Men
Join a political party/group through social media Women
Like or follow a politician
Like or share a political post
View photos or read articles that make fun of a candidate
Read political articles posted by your friends or followers
Read your friends’ or followers’ political viewpoints
Post photos or articles that make fun of a candidate
Post articles related to the candidates or the election
Post your political viewpoints
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Source: American Pulse™, August-2012, N=3447
© 2012, Prosper®

6. Men More Likely to be Influenced by Negative
Campaign Ads
To what extent do you agree with the following statements about
negative campaign ads?
Likely Voters
35%
29.8%
30%
25.4%
25% 23.5%
20.1% Men
20%
16.9% Women
15% 13.5%
10%
5%
0%
What I learn about the The information about the I pay attention to information
candidates through negative candidates in negative ads is about the candidates in
ads influences my vote believable negative ads
Perhaps Men likely to vote are more influenced by negative campaign ads because
they are more likely than women to find the information in these ads believable.
They are also the most likely gender to pay attention to these negative ads.
Source: American Pulse™, August-2012, N=3447
© 2012, Prosper®

7. Men More Excited to Vote Than Women
Somewhat/Very Excited to
Are you excited to vote in the 2012 Vote in 2012
Presidential Election?
Men Women
1 – Not at All Excited 8.8% 11.8%
2 – Not Very Excited 9.2% 12.2%
63.2% 54.6%
3 – Neutral 18.8% 21.4%
4 – Somewhat Excited 23.8% 21.4%
5 – Very Excited 39.5% 33.1%
A majority of both sexes are somewhat or very excited to vote this fall, but Men
likely to vote are more likely to feel this way than Women.
Source: American Pulse™, August-2012, N=3447
© 2012, Prosper®

8. Men & Women Agree: Paul Ryan Would Make
Better President than Joe Biden
Which of the Vice Presidential candidates do you
think is better suited to serve as President?
Likely Voters
Men Women
20.2%
31.9% Joe Biden 30.4%
32.9%
Paul Ryan
Undecided
47.9%
36.7%
Finally! Something Men & Women can agree on! Likely voters from both genders
think Paul Ryan is better suited than Joe Biden to serve as President of the
United States (if something should happen to the president).
Source: American Pulse™, August-2012, N=3447
© 2012, Prosper®

9. Contact
For media inquiries:
Chrissy Wissinger, Senior Manager, Communications
chrissy@biginsight.com
Dianne Kremer, Senior Analyst
dianne@biginsight.com
614-846-0146
Disclaimer
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a Prosper affiliated company (“Prosper”). Prosper makes no warranties, either expressed or implied,
concerning: data gathered or obtained from any source; the present or future methodology employed in
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