Earlier this week you spent a day in the Computer Lab taking part in Harvard's Race/IAT Test - please address the following questions... 1) Do you think the initial information that IAT gave you about yourself is accurate? 2) In what ways could the test be improved?
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I do not think that the original information given to me about myself was accurate. I was told that I am "strongly" against African Americans... in reality I do not feel that way. I'm not saying that in certain situations I would choose a white person over a darker skinned person because I would if I felt it was the right choice. However, this does not mean I have any type of strong feelings against African Americans. I feel like the test could be improved bu using more photos of people. The site used the same pictures over and over again and it seemed boring after a while and I felt uninterested in the test. I wouldn't change anything else because overall the test was a good experience.
I feel that the information given to me about my preferences were inaccurate. The IAT Test labeled me as "Strongly" preferring European Americans over African Americans. This, I do not feel is correct because I find myself to see these groups equally. On the other hand, this test helped me understand my choices better. Even if my test results remain the same after we have gone over this unit, I will have learned something not only about myself but racial preferences people have. In addition, the test could have been improved by using multiple tests that shared the same concept. The separation of the two columns using letters "e" and "i" on the keyboard, allowed the participant to develop a pattern when pressing the keys to select the correct recipient. I found myself getting incorrect answers due to the fact that I was already use to a particular category on a certain side. A different activity along with this one would make the test a bit more interesting. But overall it was a new experience and I enjoyed learning about myself.
I do not think that the initial information given back to me about myself was accurate. After taking a test of nothing more than sorting words into different categories I was given the result of “strongly” preferring European Americans just like both Megan and Jackie. The test was simple, just sorting words into the correct categories, but with a trick. By associating words together, Harvard suggests that when we associate certain words with pictures of either a person with light skin or dark skin, that we stereotype and assume good words belong with one color and the bad belong with the other. I don’t understand how Harvard can pull results from such a test. Suppose someone is really bad at sorting words, I know that on various cases I forget which category belonged where and accidentally put them on the other side. The test really cant be improved. In my opinion this is a really poor way to test someone’s preference, the only way really to do that is by their actions and personal experiences. I don’t think that there is a way to measure someone’s preference, they just know.
I do think that the initial information that the IAT gave me about myself is correct. At least I think that it is accurate about my unconscious mind. However, I do not believe that it accurately portrays my conscious views. Just because I do not consciously make such impulsive prejudgments about individuals. The test could slightly be improved. Maybe if they also added some other races to the mix such as hispanics or asians. Also, if they added more pictures like Jackie stated, but instead of whole faces, they put stereotypical facial features onto someone that would not normally have that feature. This could also improve the test.
I think that initial information that IAT gave me about myself is accurate because I do know that growing up in the family I did and society today that a lot of people are still a little uneasy with the subject of racism. Since I was put on the spot my answers were just natural so it's hard for me to argue that they weren't accurate. The test could be improved in many ways. They could use different faces, instead of ones that are extremely stereotypical. They could use faces that are less angry or even use other races other than African American and European American.
When I took the IAT test and reviewed my results I was actually not all that surprised. With today's media and Hollywood movies I think it would be safe to say that most individuals would find it a little difficult to associate an African American person with something positive. Whether it is a conscious or unconscious decision, and whether it is intended discrimination or unintentional, as it is in my case. However the test results were far from what is reality in my case as I feel that I bear no severe resentment against African American individuals. Overall I believe that the test was accurate when it comes to judging my unconscious decisions perhaps, but not my conscious decisions or associations. I don't think I would change anything about the test I feel that their methods of gauging where a person stands are proper and fairly accurate, regardless whether or not the person being tested agrees with the results.
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