BS: So you think you're not biased!

Subject: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: Slag
Date: 20 May 08 - 07:19 PM

I found this really interesting site which is an on-going psychological study at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/selectatest.html . The IAT, Implicit Association Tests take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes of your time and your results are given to you at the end. Participation furthers this important study. All information is protected. They are fun to do and you just may learn something about yourself.

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 20 May 08 - 07:44 PM

Slag-
Went there; took a test; virus update came on in middle of test slowing it down; completed same; sent test; it did not go through. The hell with it.

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 20 May 08 - 07:44 PM

I found a whole list of tests to take. Are you talking about the presidential candidate test, or one of the others?

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 20 May 08 - 08:36 PM

Instructions for the test are to indicate "Yes" if either of two choices is correct" and "No" if neither of the too choices is correct." Unfortunately it rejects answers that are correctly entered according to the stated criteria.

After the first abort, I went back and reread - with extreme and diligent care - all of the instructions, and tried again. The test itself is "biased" or created by illiterates. (But then it's Harvard, so I guess that's not too unexpected.)

Sorry, but I'm not at all impressed.

John

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 20 May 08 - 08:40 PM

Two separate </i> in my Word composition, cut and pasted here did not appear in the above post. (It's Word 2007, so that's probably not surprising)

Reposting - and proofing this time:

Instructions for the test are to indicate "Yes" if either of two choices is correct" and "No" if neither of the too choices is correct." Unfortunately it rejects answers that are correctly entered according to the stated criteria.

After the first abort, I went back and reread - with extreme and diligent care - all of the instructions, and tried again. The test itself is "biased" or created by illiterates. (But then it's Harvard, so I guess that's not too unexpected.)

Sorry, but I'm not at all impressed.

John

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: Amos
Date: 20 May 08 - 08:55 PM

I went through the whole thing and my result was that my bias was at about fifty percent for all three candidates. I was surprised--I thought I was an Obama bigot, but the test says, no, I am agile and open-minded.

Somebdy should tell the Hate Lady.


A

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 May 08 - 08:55 PM

Some of their afterwards questions were really ambiguous and did not provide enough material with which to answer. I *think* passed one of them the way I would hope, but who knows by their convoluted double-academic-speak!*bg*

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: Riginslinger
Date: 20 May 08 - 09:57 PM

I had too many errors to record a result. I agree with Kat, it's too simplistic, there aren't enough options so if one is being honest, it seems to me that one will record conflicting results. Unless a particular individual happens to fit their profile(s).

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: Slag
Date: 21 May 08 - 12:54 AM

There are many different tests in this site and the goal is to frustrate the diliberate thinking. They call this type 1 thinking. By moving quickly it gets at the point where our "knee-jerk" reflexes are exposed. There is a body of work about this project and it is not just Harvard (is that a prejudice?) involved. The tests start off rather simply but then a second round splits or jumbles up what associations you may hold in your mind. Yes you will make errors and not all your results will be meaningful. I totally blew a couple of them. It happens, but overall I find this very interesting and revealing.

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 21 May 08 - 06:36 AM

Harvard (is that a prejudice?)

Friendly rivalry might be a better term(?).

John

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 21 May 08 - 07:46 AM

I know I'm biased so why take the test?

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: Donuel
Date: 21 May 08 - 08:50 AM

As Woody Allen said "Of course I am a biased bigot, but I am a biased bigot for the left".

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: Big Mick
Date: 21 May 08 - 09:46 AM

I came out the same as Amos. Hit it right in the middle. I, too, thought I would be leaning way towards Obama. I thought the test was just what it was supposed to be. As noted, you are not supposed to sit and try and get the right answer. It is designed to demonstrate bias, which is almost reflexive.

..... and a major problem in this country. Folks just mouth their biases instead of actually debating and hearing one another.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: Amos
Date: 21 May 08 - 10:32 AM

Folks just mouth their biases instead of actually debating and hearing one another.


That's why Obama has his work cut out for him. He has to constantly be on a quest for the defusing button that will cancel those automatic hate and slander subroutines, and let a genuine idea or two penetrate the automatic mechanisms that are too often used as a substitute for live thought and communication.

A

Subject: RE: BS: So you think you're not biased!
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 May 08 - 10:58 AM

Hmmm...I didn't do the presidential candidates one. I did the Native American one. Came down as NOT associating Native Americans with Foreign, which seems good to me. I missed two and did them at a good pace.

Their questions afterwards were still stupid. They didn't have anything to tick for certain occupations including musician, writer, editor, etc. plus they also didn't have a "none of the above" for other categorical questions about oneself after the test. They wanted to know if I felt their analysis of my testing was accurate in my mind, but it was so poorly written I hadn't a clue until I gave an answer, then it let me click to the next page which explained in more depth.