Communication and Cognitive Factors in Shaping Women’s Political Efficacy in Pakistan

Abstract

Political efficacy plays a critical role in shaping individuals’ political engagement and serves as a key indicator for civic participation and democratic performance. In developing countries such as Pakistan, women often encounter societal and institutional obstacles to political engagement. This study explores how communication and cognitive factors enhance women's political efficacy by addressing the gender gap in political engagement.  It examines the impact of interpersonal communication, political interest, and political knowledge on both internal and external political efficacy among Pakistani women. Adopting a quantitative approach, data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire, distributed to female employees of women’s organizations in Karachi, Pakistan. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. The results showed that interpersonal communication, political interest and political knowledge increase women’s political efficacy. This study contributes to the existing literature on gender-based political behaviour by identifying factors that strengthen women's political efficacy and empowerment within political spheres in Pakistan. The paper also discusses the limitations and offers suggestions for future research.