Development and Validation of the White Critical Consciousness Index

Abstract

This study details the development and validation of the White Critical Consciousness Index (WhiCCI) as a tool for measuring the critical consciousness (CC) of white Americans. Since its inception into academic literature, scholars have debated whether the development of CC in privileged populations is compatible with the original CC philosophy. We argue that it is compatible, and that white and other privileged individuals also have a responsibility to developing their critical consciousness and contributing to equitable social change. However, from the vantage point of Freire’s oppressor, CC must look different. The WhiCCI uses items informed by the critical consciousness and white anti-racist allyship literature to propose a novel instrument measuring CC in this population. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, this study analyzes data from over 2000 more privileged white Americans and arrives at an instrument aligned with the tripartite model of CC: Critical Reflection, Critical Motivation, and Critical Action.