Pasquale Tartaro

Professor Wahl

Soc 3: Intro Social Psych

10 November 2020

Implicit Association Test (IAT) Response Essay

To measure the strength of my associations between concepts, evaluations and

stereotypes, I recently completed the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT), which will allow me

examine personal cognitions that I may have been unwilling or unable to report otherwise.

m
er as
Throughout the test, I was asked to quickly sort terms into “bad” and good” categories by

co
eH w
pressing the “e” key on the left and the “i” key on the right, respectively. Essentially, the time

o.
that it takes for participants, such as myself, to respond to different combinations of stimuli is
rs e
ou urc
believed to reveal the mental associations that such subjects generally and unconsciously make.

In my case, the collection of results suggested that I slightly favor white people over black
o
aC s

people. Moreover, the recorded trajectory of my answers indicated that I had exhibited in-group
vi y re

bias toward white people, meaning that I displayed more positivity or preferential treatment to

others who belong to the same racial group as I do.

ed d
ar stu

Although I had previously anticipated that many participants, such as myself, would

likely gravitate towards their corresponding ethic groups, I believe that there is much cause for
is

concern and hesitation regarding the case-by-case validity of the Implicit Association Test. First,
Th

I believe it’s important to note the inconsistencies that I have personally observed throughout my

three experiences with the test. Upon the first time that I completed the Implicit Association Test
sh

in high school, I was content with my results, as the test found that I had no automatic preference

against white or black people. When I completed the test during my sophomore year in college,

This study source was downloaded by 100000831318803 from CourseHero.com on 09-05-2021 03:34:11 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/75663624/Implicit-Association-Test-IAT-Response-Essay/
 however, I was recorded as having a slight automatic preference for black people, meaning I was

a little racist at the subconscious level — against white people. As mentioned, my most recent

test suggested that I was prejudiced in favor of white people, marking the third straight test that I

received a different introspective analysis. Though I recognize that all three of these experiences

occurred at distinct intervals of my life, I find the steady lack of consistency across each of my

participations hard to dismiss, as the test is supposed to be designed to dig into people’s

subconscious minds and uncover their real biases. Thus, while it certainly can prove to be

accurate in some cases, I strongly believe that the IAT isn’t reliable enough for predicting

m
er as
individual biases based on just one test. Rather, I think it requires a collection — an aggregate —

co
eH w
of tests before the IAT can really begin to draw any sort of significant conclusions. Perhaps the

o.
biggest issue with the IAT is that it doesn’t only pick up subconscious biases. Individual results
rs e
ou urc
are impacted by people’s ability to process information, desires to want to create a good

impression and the mood that they are in at the moment of the examination. Thus, since the test
o
aC s

is actually a measure of a combination of elements, I feel as if it would be difficult to determine

vi y re

which variable is responsible for a weak correlation with resulting behavior. While I suppose my

perceived bias towards people of my own skin color could be a result of my limited interactions
ed d
ar stu

with black people, I still firmly believe that my recent results cannot be considered an accurate

representation of my innate values.

is

On a personal level, I was skeptical of the results of my most recent performance on the
Th

Implicit Association Test because I consider myself an advocate for racial equality. I am greatly

concerned with the systemic influence of racism in regards to policies that have set the
sh

foundation for the mass incarceration of minorities. In fact, I recently created a unique fundraiser

with a plan to donate all proceeds to the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization that is

This study source was downloaded by 100000831318803 from CourseHero.com on 09-05-2021 03:34:11 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/75663624/Implicit-Association-Test-IAT-Response-Essay/
 dedicated to ending racial inequality by providing legal representation to those wrongly

convicted of crimes. Though I was born and raised in a town composed of mostly white people,

and have had limited interactions with people of color until my college tenure, my initial reaction

to my results was greatly influenced by my general desires to combat racial inequality. Thus, in

conjunction with the volatility of my IAT results from three separate occasions, my personal and

political beliefs contributed to my high level of surprisement when the IAT proposed that I was

slightly biased towards white people.

As a result of cultural conditioning, my upbringing, and media portrayals, I unfortunately

m
er as
believe that I do, in fact, possess some hidden racial biases. Though I stand by my skepticism

co
eH w
regarding the general validity of my most recent Implicit Association Test, I will not dismiss how

o.
implicit biases have previously influenced my thoughts throughout my adolescence, nor the
rs e
ou urc
possibility of such unconscious processes continuing to exist within me today. However, I do not

believe that this necessarily means that I am prejudiced or inclined to discriminate against other
o
aC s

people. Rather, it simply means that my brain can or has tended to work in a way that makes
vi y re

associations and generalizations. Generally, biases develop at a young age and are often the

result of our tendencies to surround ourselves with people who are the most like us. I was born
ed d
ar stu

and raised in a town that consisted of primarily white people, which I feel has therefore

contributed to my potential propensity to gravitate towards those who share the same skin color
is

as I do. Moreover, gradual exposure to media and entertainment has likely affected my
Th

unconscious attitudes and made me susceptible to various stereotypes. For example, in high

school, I was negatively affected by the media’s overrepresentation of black people and
sh

immigrants as criminals, which in turn, may have influenced my unconscious negative attitudes

toward minorities and or illegal immigrants, including political policies that directly affect such

This study source was downloaded by 100000831318803 from CourseHero.com on 09-05-2021 03:34:11 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/75663624/Implicit-Association-Test-IAT-Response-Essay/
 people. Nevertheless, as I have matured and gradually sought out my own sources of

information, I believe that I have managed to overcome my implicit biases and prevent them

from affecting my general views and behavior towards people of all different cultures and

backgrounds. Exposure to enlightening information and individuals who defy stereotypes, along

with my personal effort to take the perspective of others, have all aided me in curbing the

influence of such unconscious biases.

I am a strong proponent of the idea that all humans have unconscious biases that affect all

aspects of our lives and the lives of others with whom we interact. While many people would

m
er as
likely prefer to believe that they are not susceptible to hidden biases and stereotypes, I believe

co
eH w
that humans have little jurisdiction over whether or not they have prejudices, as the prevalent

o.
possession is influenced by outside factors and our unique experiences. However, I don’t believe
rs e
ou urc
that the possession of such implicit biases necessarily correlate with the goodness of one’s heart,

intentions or beliefs, as it simply concerns the brain’s associations and generalizations. Rather,
o
aC s

the perpetual failure to recognize and combat biases that can influence negative or discriminatory
vi y re

behavior should be denounced. In addition, it is virtually impossible to separate yourself from the

influence of the environment and stereotypes that already exist in the society into which we were
ed d
ar stu

born. While one can positively grow more aware of his or her unconscious thinking and the ways

in which society influences them, it is the natural tendency of the brain to categorize information
is

about the world that leads to the formation of these implicit biases. In other words, humans are
Th

inevitably susceptible to unconscious biases because of the brain’s natural tendency to seek out

patterns and take shortcuts. The combination of these inclinations with our experiences,
sh

upbringings and social conditioning (including media coverage and entertainment) all contribute

to the implicit associations that people form about the members of other social groups.

This study source was downloaded by 100000831318803 from CourseHero.com on 09-05-2021 03:34:11 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/75663624/Implicit-Association-Test-IAT-Response-Essay/
 Furthermore, hidden racial biases are just as significant as other conscious racial biases, as the

presence of such prejudice, whether the individual is aware of it or not, can prove to be

disheartening to any given society. Regardless of whether it is of a conscious mindset or not, an

individual’s racial bias can negatively affect human rights and criminal justice policies, as well as

the social standing of others, which in turn, can aid in maintaining the systemic influence of

racism and bias throughout the world.

m
er as
co
eH w
o.
rs e
ou urc
o
aC s
vi y re
ed d
ar stu
is
Th
sh

This study source was downloaded by 100000831318803 from CourseHero.com on 09-05-2021 03:34:11 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/75663624/Implicit-Association-Test-IAT-Response-Essay/
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)