Tyler Cameron Lewis

Psychology 430 – Section 003

9/18/2022

Implicit Association Test Paper

Attitudes, as defined by our textbook, refer to the beliefs and feelings related to a person

or event. These types of conscious and/or unconscious thought processes are exhibited every

time we make a decision, perform an action, or even simply devise a basic thought. Through a

type of testing known as an implicit association test (IATs), which is defined in chapter 4 as, a

test which uses reaction times to measure how rapidly concepts are associated, we can shed some

light on our unconscious attitudes. This allows us as individuals to try to work towards breaking

down those unobserved barriers or instinctive preferences, to be more inclusive and open-minded

regarding those who possess different characteristics than us. Whether these characteristics are

alike or dissimilar to our own attributes, it seems that every individual has their own set of

preferences (otherwise categorized as attitudes in the study of psychology) that influence the way

we speak, act, and think. For this paper, I took two versions of the implicit association test, one

regarding innate preference of people in different weight classes, and one regarding the

associations of weapons with white and black Americans. Overall, the results of both tests were

eye-opening, and rather shocking, but they seemed to be informative on topics that I do not

regularly think about.

The test regarding the weight classes was meant to determine if there were any specific

attitudes in reference to people of different sizes, defined in the test as fat or thin. In the test, I

was asked to identify and classify pictures of outlines of people with a thinner frame versus those
with a heavier frame. Additionally, I was instructed to classify positive (like friendship, joy, etc.)

or negative (like abuse, destruction, etc.) words with either of the categories (fat or thin), based

on the section of the test. My results of this examination were that I had a “strong automatic

preference for thin people over fat people.” This result truly caught me off-guard, as I myself

have struggled with my weight over the years. I genuinely did not believe that I had any

unconscious preference for thin people, and honestly would have guessed that if I had a specific

attitude, it would have been in favor of the ‘fat’ category due to my individual experiences. This

does make some sense though in regard to a psychological concept known as self-presentation

theory. In chapter 4, it states that self-presentation is the base of how we present ourselves in the

world and that we care about how others view and perceive who we are as individuals. With this

in mind, I could understand why I may have an instinctive preference for thin people, as I have

tried tirelessly (at times) to lose weight over the years. Subconsciously, I may feel more inclined

to identify with those who are considered ‘thin,’ as that is the body type I have worked towards

for years. Succinctly, I did not expect to have a predisposition towards those of a thinner frame,

but it does seem to make some sense when viewed in context with my past struggles with weight

gain.

The results of the second test though, regarding weapons and the associations between

white and black Americans, did not seem to make as much sense to me as the weight IAT. In this

test, I was asked to classify white Americans and black Americans into groups, depending on the

picture being shown to me. Additionally, I was asked to associate pictures of harmless objects

(for example a toothbrush, wallet, umbrella, etc.) or pictures of harmful weapons (like guns,

brass knuckles, or knives) with the pictures of either black or white Americans. After this test

had concluded, my results suggested that I had “a moderate automatic association for harmless
objects with white Americans and weapons with black Americans.” Though, in this case, the

association was ‘moderate,’ as opposed to ‘strong,’ the results still heavily perplexed me. I have

never had any conscious association with black Americans and weapons, or for that matter, any

association between white Americans and harmless objects. In this light, this association may

have some context in regards to cognitive dissonance theory, which is defined in chapter 4 as the

feeling of tension, or “dissonance,” when two of our thoughts or beliefs are inconsistent with

each other. This concept can explain the slight feeling of guilt and uneasiness after receiving the

unexpected results of this second IAT. I am not a person who carries any preconceived notions

about different races or types of people, but due to the dissonance I am perceiving, I will be able

to make changes to better alter my supposed “unconscious attitudes” regarding the associations

of weapons and different races of Americans.

In conclusion, these tests were very interesting, to say the least. While I do not wholly

agree with the results of either IAT, I do recognize that sometimes these associations may not be

apparent to those who are afflicted by them. In that regard, this experiment was definitely

beneficial in being able to identify some of these preconceived notions, and work to more

effectively eliminate them from any attitudes that I hold or behaviors I may enact in the future.

Using these tests as tools, rather than strict observations of character, is what seems to be the

most beneficial course of action.