This paper reports a study which analyzes attitudes and orientations of a group with growing significance in Chilean politics: people who do not ide~ify with political parties or coalitions. Toe study was organized around a set of hypotheses derived from Social ldentity Theory and previous research on generalized
political attitudes. Participants of the study were universitY students in Santiago (N=1460), who answered a self-administered questionnaire. Results confirmed that those who are politically disengaged tend not to identify with other collective referents: the nation or religion. Their political attitudes are also distinctive: in comparison with people who identify with political parties ar coalitions, their political cynicism is higher and their sense of political efficacy is lower. The political tolerance and authoritarianism of this group was significantly different from the levels exhibited by participants identified with right-wing parties and coalitions. Their support for democracy was intermediate as compared to that showed by left-wing and right-wing participants. In general, this group exhibits a ele ar retraction from basic referents of social identity and social integration. The paper concludes recommending longitudinal studies which can help establishing and characterizing the identity transitions that lead to political disaffection in Chilean politics.