Implicit Association Tests (IATs) measure unconscious associations and beliefs that can influence biases and prejudices, as well as marketing responses. Researchers use various forms of IATs to study topics such as race and car brands. Subjects match attributes to concepts, such as good and bad with different faces. Critics argue that IATs may measure socialization and learned behaviors rather than actual beliefs.
An Implicit Association Test (IAT) is a measure available in social psychology to examine a person’s unconscious associations and beliefs that may play a role in biases and prejudices. These associations can also impact how people respond to marketing and answer questions about their lives. There are numerous forms of implicit association tests that researchers can use to study various topics, ranging from racing to car brands. People can take sample tests online if they want to learn more.
In an implicit association test, the subject must match attributes to concepts. The researcher presents the subject with a series of images and words associated with different attributes, such as happy and sad or good and bad. The test requires the subject to associate specific attributes with particular types of images, pressing a button when the word matches the image. This test usually requires a computer, although a researcher may also flash cards or slides.
In a simple example, a test might work to uncover racial bias. People are presented with pictures of faces representing different races and have a list of attributes to match those faces. The test might ask participants to match good traits with white faces, for example. If this is an easy match, the participant will respond quickly whenever a white face and good stroke appears on the screen. Conversely, if the participant does not subconsciously associate white faces with good traits, it would take more time to match various positive words with white faces, and the person could make mistakes.
Researchers believe that implicit associations may play an important role in how people interact with the world around them. People with a bias against members of the black community, for example, may be less likely to treat a black defendant favorably if they were on a jury. These traits are not the result of conscious bias like overt racism and are the result of thinking on an unconscious level.
The implicit association test has some critics. People argue that the test actually measures socialization, familiarity, and learned behaviors even if people don’t particularly hold those beliefs or exhibit them in their daily lives. For example, an implicit association test may show a bias against older adults that is not confirmed by how the subject interacts or talks about older adults. Some people also worry that the results of the Implicit Association Test may be misleading and could lead people to misinterpret the test results as confirming that there is an overt and conscious bias, even when there is no such thing.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
