Abstract

The tendency to legitimize the status quo has been measured in multiple ways and across diverse contexts. Despite this, the General System Justification Scale (GSJ) has not undergone psychometric evaluations in Spanish-speaking populations. To address this gap, three studies were conducted with the purpose of adapting and validating this widely used instrument in the Chilean context, analyzing data from a combined total of 2,288 participants. Across the three studies, the unidimensional model obtained satisfactory fit indices, and measurement invariance by sex and ethnic group was evidenced. Furthermore, results show evidence of external validity, as the GSJ correlated with (but was psychometrically distinct from) institutional trust, national identification, nationalism, and patriotism. We conclude that the GSJ constitutes a useful scale for measuring the tendency to legitimize the social system. Nevertheless, both its strengths and limitations are discussed.