Implicit Bias

People don’t always say what’s on theirminds. One reason is that they are unwilling. For example, someone mightreport smoking a pack of cigarettes per day because they areembarrassed to admit that they smoke two. Another reason is that theyare unable. A smoker might truly believe that she smokes a pack a day,or might not keep track at all. The difference between being unwillingand unable is the difference between purposely hiding something fromsomeone and unknowingly hiding something from yourself.

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) measuresattitudes and beliefs that people may be unwilling or unable to report.The IAT may be especially interesting if it shows that you have animplicit attitude that you did not know about. For example, you maybelieve that women and men should be equally associated with science,but your automatic associations could show that you (like many others)associate men with science more than you associate women with science.

Visit the Project Implicit website to take one of the IAT from the list below:

• Gender and Sexuality
• Sexuality (‘Gay-Straight’ IAT). This IAT requires the ability todistinguish words and symbols representing gay and straight people. Itoften reveals an automatic preference for straight relative to gaypeople.
• Gender – Science. This IAT often reveals a relative link between liberal arts and females and between science and males.
• Gender – Career. This IAT often reveals a relative link between family and females and between career and males.
• Race and Ethnicity
• Race (‘Black – White’ IAT). This IAT requires the ability todistinguish faces of European and African origin. It indicates that mostAmericans have an automatic preference for white over black.
• Asian American (‘Asian – European American’ IAT). This IATrequires the ability to recognize White and Asian-American faces, andimages of places that are either American or Foreign in origin.
• Native American (‘Native – White American’ IAT). This IATrequires the ability to recognize White and Native American faces ineither classic or modern dress, and the names of places that are eitherAmerican or Foreign in origin.

1. First, explore the Project Implicit website.
2. Next, complete one of the Implicit Association Tests (IAT) fromthe list above. Each test should take about 10 minutes to complete. Atthe end, you will receive your IAT result along with information aboutwhat it means.
3. Then, share your IAT results as a screenshot (How to take a screenshot with a PC or Mac).
4. Finally, write a reflective post about your thoughts andfeelings (a) prior to taking the test, (b) during the actual test and(c) once you received your results.