The Social Nature of Political (Dis)Interest: Conceptualizing and Validating Political (Dis)Interest as a Social Identity

Abstract Political interest is fundamental to democratic engagement. Yet, its conceptualization remains debated. In this agenda-setting study, we offer a new but important perspective by conceptualizing political (dis)interest as a social identity. We introduce two innovative measures: the Positive Political Interest Identity Scale (PPIS) and the Negative Political Interest Identity Scale (NPIS). Employing Item Response Theory, we demonstrate the construct validity of both scales in a preregistered study in the Netherlands (N = 1,553). Using the same dataset, we demonstrate their predictive validity. Specifically, the PPIS and NPIS uncover substantial differences in political attitudes and behaviors both between and within individuals who identify as politically (dis)interested. Conceptualizing political (dis)interest as a social identity enriches our understanding of the concept and its implications for politically relevant attitudes and behaviors, while also informing interventions to foster political interest equally across all citizens.