Ideological Indifference: A Socio‐Psychological Conceptualization and Measurement

ABSTRACT

Social psychology has classically attributed discrimination towards marginalized groups to explicit forms of bias and blatant ideological orientations. However, discrimination can also manifest in passive forms, such as indifference, which may be equally harmful. This study proposes and validates a new measure of ideological indifference: the Ideological Indifference Scale (IIS). We conceptualize indifference as an ideologically motivated belief system that enables individuals to maintain a psychological distance from social injustices while supporting the status quo and a conservative group identity. A total of 434 participants completed an anonymous self‐report questionnaire, which included the IIS and other measures designed to assess the scale's convergent and discriminant validity. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that ideological indifference is best represented as a unidimensional construct. The IIS shows significant correlations with other theoretically related variables, supporting its convergent and discriminant validity. On a theoretical level, ideological indifference helps explain how intergroup tensions escalate, highlighting the role of passive bystanders in enabling discrimination. Developing a valid and reliable measure of ideological indifference could enrich models of political conservatism and anti‐democratic attitudes. It could also provide a foundation for exploring how indifference relates to identities, values and morality. The IIS provides an empirical foundation for designing interventions aiming to counteract social indifference.