About
I am an Assistant Professor in Political Science at Trinity College Dublin. I completed my PhD in Political Science in December 2024 at the London School of Economics. Prior to joining LSE, I earned a master’s degree in economics from Sabanci University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Bogazici University in Istanbul.
My research focuses on candidate preferences, political representation, social identity, and gender. Emphasising candidates’ demographic and physiological features, I investigate voter preferences for political candidates and the factors influencing their decisions in various country contexts, including the United States, Germany, and Turkey. Additionally, I explore how political candidates tailor both verbal and nonverbal communication when interacting with voters. My work also examines the complex relationship between social identity and political behaviour, with a particular interest in the role of gender in politics and its impact on political outcomes.
My methodological interests are in experimental political science and computational methods. I conduct visual and audial survey experiments, having incorporated state-of-the-art AI tools to simulate real-life political interactions, as well as field experiments with collaborating candidates to gain insights into voter behaviour and political preferences. Additionally, I use computational social science to analyse audio and video data, providing a deeper understanding of political communication and its effects on voters.
Research
Publications
Persistence of Voice Pitch Bias Against Policy Differences
Political Science Research and Methods, 2024 Paper
Abstract
Voters evaluate politicians not just on their policy positions and partisanship, but also on how they look and sound. But to what extent might these latter characteristics be traded for a more preferable policy stance? In this paper, we use an online experiment to study the relative effect on voter behavior of candidate voice pitch and policy differences between candidates. We first demonstrate a strong voice pitch bias: in an election between candidates who are identical in every aspect but voice pitch, voters are significantly more likely to choose the one with the lower voice pitch. Voice pitch bias is higher in elections between men than women candidates. We then introduce a novel phenomenon. Persistence of voice pitch bias is the amount of policy difference needed to compensate for voice pitch bias. While persistence is also gender-dependent, the effect is now reversed: voice pitch bias is more persistent in elections between women than men candidates. Finally, as a possible mechanism we show that voters perceive candidates with a lower voice pitch as more competent and trustworthy. Our findings are robust against voters’ gender and other socio-economic characteristics.
Working Papers
Vocal Chameleons: Gender dynamics in nonverbal expressions in campaigning
Revise & Resubmit
Identity Claims in Political Speech
Under review
The Preference for Less Masculine Faces across Gender and Race in Politics
Under review
Reining the Party In: The Price of Taking Back Control
Under review
Do GOTV interventions really increase turnout inequality? A conceptual and empirical reassessment
Identity Priming in Campaigning: Field Experimental Evidence from Women Candidates in Germany