Implicit Association Test

Some of the articles I read prior to taking the Implicit Association Test reported that the test was made in a way where anyone who took it would present a bias toward a particular group. It is said that some people get offended after taking the Implicit Association Test or they just don't agree with their results. Before taking this test, I expected the results to be extreme. The results I obtained actually surprised me. The different tests I took were: Gender-Career, Race, and Weight. My results for the test associated with males/females and how identify each gender with career and family was pretty accurate.

The IAT demonstrated I had a moderate association of Male with Career and Female with Family. Although I don't strongly believe men are made to work and women to raise children, I was brought up in a household where my mom stayed home until my brother and I were 10 and 8 years old. Throughout that time, the breadwinner in my house was my father. While I was growing up in a home where my dad was the one working, I was also taught that women need to have careers too and be self sufficient. It's obvious to me why I was considered "moderate" on this topic.

Of the three IAT's, the one that measured our bias toward Race was the one that surprised me. I received a
moderate automatic preference for European American compared to African American. Prior to the test, I thought I was going to get a "strong automatic preference for European American" because of my cultural background. It is a tendency within the Cuban Culture for white Cubans to make racist jokes against black Cubans. With that said, I automatically assumed I was going to show a great bias toward people who are black.

I was extremely curious what the IAT would demonstrate in the test that was focused on Weight. Well the tests results proved to be on target because I got a strong automatic preference for people thin people. About four years ago, I had to be treated because I had an extreme phobia of overweight people and becoming overweight myself.

I don't think that just because anyone gets these results means that they are just rude stereotypical people. It might just mean that somewhere inside, there is a deep rooted perception that was instilled by media and even family as we grew up. Luckily, some us are aware and try not to let ideas influence our day to day life.