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11 - The Rationality, Interpretation, and Overselling of Tests of Implicit Cognition

from Section III - Challenges of Research on Implicit Bias

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 December 2024

By
Hal R. Arkes
Edited by
Jon A. Krosnick ,
Tobias H. Stark  and
Amanda L. Scott
Jon A. Krosnick
Affiliation:
Stanford University, California
Tobias H. Stark
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Amanda L. Scott
Affiliation:
The Strategy Team, Columbus, Ohio
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Summary

I highlight three issues pertaining to the Implicit Association Test (IAT). First, using the test’s documented validity estimates, I show that using the IAT to classify individuals can result in lower adherence to a benchmark of rationality than using a blatantly unfair categorization scheme. I also suggest that using base rates to classify people when negligible individuating information is available is rational. In fact, people use racial base rates when executing their own classification strategy but denigrate other people for doing so. Second, I emphasize the very tenuous relation between one’s IAT score and dependent variables such as medical therapy choices which can be influenced by multiple factors other than prejudice. Third, I question the use of the IAT as a basis for deeming a person to be implicitly racist and therefore ineligible to be hired or in need of “diversity training” whose benefits have yet to be established.

Keywords

Implicit Association Testracismexpected utility theoryBayes Theoremimplicit prejudiceimplicit cognition
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Implicit Bias and Racism , pp. 325 - 336
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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