Title: Can We Really Measure Implicit Bias? Maybe Not
Source: Tom Bartlett
Date: January 05, 2017
Summary: In this article, Tom Bartlett wrote mostly about the debate between Hart Blanton, a professor of psychology, and the three founders of the IAT test. An IAT test is a type of test that reveals our implicit bias by tracking how quickly we can complete the test as well as how many mistakes we make on the test. Blanton strongly disagrees with the IAT test and believes it cannot accurately reveal our implicit bias. Both sides argue for quite a long time and try to prove their own beliefs, but until this day, no one can give a definite answer to this problem. Moreover, on the last page of the article, it also includes how Patrick Forscher wants to focus on understanding the reasons that cause discrimination and he also leaves a question for us to think about, which is, if changing our implicit bias can change our behaviors, what should we do?
Reaction: After I did the IAT test, it took me by surprise because I believe that I know myself best, and the result that I got isn't accurate to what I think of myself. However, one of the three tests that I did which is the Sexuality, the result came out to be as I suspected, it indicate that I prefer gay people over straight people. I think it's because of my surroundings; most of my friends are part of the LGBTQ+ community and through my experience, the older generation that is straight would be homophobic and believe that only being straight is normal. Not only that, some of them would be disrespectful and even make fun of my friend's sexuality, which is unbearable for me as an ally. Lastly, I honestly don't trust all the IAT test results 100% since, in my opinion, there should be something more than this to reveal our implicit bias. But if you asked me, do I believe I can change my behavior now that I know my implicit bias? My answer is yes, because if I knew my implicit bias, it wouldn't be called that anymore, and I believe it can also be changed through experience. For example, I didn't like this teacher at first because he is always angry for no reason, but after a few months, I began to see more of the teacher's side, which changed my point of view on its own as well as my behavior.
Questions: 1. Will the IAT test have more topic for us to select in the future?
2. Why does everyone have implicit bias?
3. Is implicit bias important?
4. What is the advantage of having implicit bias?
Nice and clear summary, I also think that our biases and behavior can be changed through time and experiences. However, I do not think the IAT is actually accurate in some sense, but it is a good way to be aware of biases and not to fall into them.
ReplyDeleteHi Kitty,
ReplyDeleteYou and I have the same bias to Blanton’s opinion throughout the discussion. Further, I like the author’s writing ideas to not conclude in his own point but he made up the question “What should we do?” for readers to seek out our own answer after reading it, and how do we deal with our bias?
Because we are human, we are all created by nature and that is the reason why we have bias. I believe there is no right or wrong of having bias until our bias has not destroyed any others life in trouble.
Thank you cutie for sharing your idea, keep going!
Aww~ you calling cutie is making me blush to the point that I don't know what to answer.
Delete