Implicit Attitude Test

What was your result on the Race IAT? Do you think it is accurate?
My first result was moderate. When I took it for the second time my result was strong.

Your data suggest a moderate automatic preference for European American compared to African American. The interpretation is described as 'automatic preference for European American' if you responded faster when European American faces and Good words were classified with the same key than when African American faces and Good words were classified with the same key.

I agree with this, because I am considering my conscious and subconscious attitudes. I am positive that my exposure to the media and my family and friends' influence on me throughout my childhood is responsible for my subconscious prejudices. I also believe that we assosciate positive things with what we find familiar; we are much more comfortable when we are in situations where we have control.

What did you find interesting about the test? What questions do you still have after taking this test?

I found my result to be very interesting the first time, however what I found was even more intruiging and not necessarily in a positive way was my result the second time I took the IAT. After receiving my "moderate automatic preference" result, I was slightly shocked because I was under the impression before I took the test that I was very neutral when it came to racial preferences. My second test results made me feel guilty and almost horrified over something of which I have no control. I received a "strong automatic preference" after taking the test, even though I was so confused by my first test and attempted to do better the second round hoping to receive a neutral result. I don't know if the second result means anything but I found in interesting that although I was trying to do well I ended up doing worse, probably due to finding out my first moderate preference to European Americans. Some questions I have are why this happened, and what is the psychological rationale for my results. I also would like to know exactly how this test is measured and what those measurements mean. I found this to be a very eye-opening experience.


To further this, I took another IAT test relating to race. These were my results from the Light Skinned Dark Skinned IAT:

Your data suggest a moderate automatic preference for Light Skin compared to Dark Skin. The interpretation is described as 'automatic preference for Light Skin' if you responded faster when Light Skin faces and Good words were classified with the same key than when Dark Skin faces and Good words were classified with the same key.

These results didn't do very much for the guilt I had been feeling from the last test's results. I also took an IAT test on a subject that I find very interesting, the connection with boys, girls, and science.

Your data suggest a strong association of Male with Science and Female with Liberal Arts compared to Female with Science and Male with Liberal Arts. The interpretation is described as 'automatic association between Male and Science' if you responded faster when Male names and Science words were classified with the same key than when Male names and Liberal Arts words were classified with the same key.

I'm really curious as to who is responsible for putting this prejudice in my mind.

On Another Note..

In the article “Sports Taboo” by Malcolm Gladwell, several examples of the issues of racial and social prejudice are mentioned. The notorious stereotype of the genetic advantage that black men have in sports is addressed along with the standard that men and women don’t match up intellectually in math skills.