IMPLICIT ASSOCIATION TEST
The implicit association test, is a rather new measure that scores peoples strength of associations between concepts and different evaluations and/or stereotypes. This test has gained popularity with social psychologists because it claims to shed insight into our implicit social cognition; thus, showing how our conscious and unconscious opinions diverge. The scoring is based on the velocity in which a person can arrange a set of pictures and words into two opposing categories (i.e. black/white or good/bad). Altogether, it measures the average rate at which the subject classifies the words/pictures into the desired concept. EX: the word “happy” in the good column.
Before taking this test I thought it sounded pretty cool; not only have we finally come across a way to test our unconscious, but it could also be applied to an array of different constructs — take that Freud.
However, after taking this test, (my implicit race attitude) I must confess that I am greatly disappointed. Not only do I find it to be foolish, but I do not believe it holds any validity. The first section out of seven is a simple association; on one side of the screen is the black category and the other white. In the middle appears the different colored faces which you have to place correspondingly (left or right side). The second section is the same idea but instead of pictures its words that are placed into good or bad columns. As for the third and fourth sections, it is basically the first two parts combined. That is, that the column on the left side is labeled as black people and bad words while the right column is white people and good words. Section five is the same as the first part but the labels of the columns are switched, which means if the black column was on the right to start it’s now on the left and vice versa. The final section is the same as the third but once again the concepts are switched. Which means if in the third section black was paired with bad words, it is now switched so that black is paired with good words and white with bad words. This final step is repeated twice, for a total of seven separate sections.
Although the test seems quite thorough I don’t think that it truly shows our hidden biases. Primarily, while I was taking the test I was so focused on trying to not make a mistake that I made more mistakes. I knew making several mistakes could skew the results in an unfavorable direction which stressed me even more. Another aspect likely to cause false results is the placement of the columns from the first two sections. To clarify, in the first and second sections the subject becomes accustomed to the left column being labeled as black and bad words so when they’re reversed in the later sections it is only normal to take longer in correctly classifying the stimulus. Even though one takes longer to categorize the stimulus in the later sections of the test (because the columns are switched) the results will interpret this as a discrepancy within the unconscious/conscious mind. Thus, the false result.
Who wouldn’t like to know whether they have hidden biases that they themselves aren’t even aware of? Surely, nobody speaks their mind 100% of the time, but maybe that’s because they don’t really know their mind. For that reason, I could understand the appeal of this test. Yet, the test can also pose as an ethical dilemma. For instance someone might have others take this test to uncover their implicit attitude which could then yield negative results even if that is not what the person conveys. Consequently, this test should not be taken too seriously. Instead, like it mentions on the project implicit website, it should be used as a tool to enlighten people that sometimes unintended biases could arise even without foresight.
The possibility that the results hold any truth are not zero, but to use the results from this test as an indication of hidden bias would be wrong. Further investigation needs to be done to improve the results due to the possibility that the score reflects the order in which you completed the sections (black/white on left or right). Ultimately, the implicit attitude test is a fun activity that could be a good transitional tool to inform others about automatic associations and their possible biased implications.
