When asked whether they’re racist, most people would answer emphatically “No!” However, it may surprise you to know that you may have some racist tendencies. Harvard University has developed a series of tests to help calculate a person’s unconscious tendency toward racial bias.
What is the Harvard Implicit Association Test?
Harvard University researchers developed a series of tests intended to uncover the implicit attitudes and beliefs that people often fail to disclose when questioned. People may choose to purposely hide the answers to important questions or they may also be unable to answer the question thoroughly enough to give a useful answer. The goal of these tests is to uncover the biases that people fail to disclose intentionally or unintentionally. These tests are called implicit association tests (IATs).
During the test, you will be presented with words and pictures that you must sort into categories as quickly as possible. Essentially the test consists of associating a particular photograph or word with a positive or negative category. The test can be completed in less than 10 minutes.
Interpreting Test Results
Once you complete the test, your score along with a summary of the results will be displayed. Additional information on how you compare to other test takers is also provided. Your result consists of placing you into one of the following seven categories:
- No preference between Blacks and Whites
- Strong preference for Whites compared to Blacks
- Moderate preference for Whites compared to Blacks
- Slight preference for Whites compared to Blacks
- Strong preference for Blacks compared to Whites
- Moderate preference for Blacks compared to Whites
- Slight preference for Blacks compared to Whites
Take the Harvard Race Test Right Now
The Harvard University IAT on racial bias can be taken by navigating to their IAT website. Click on “Go to the Demonstration Tests, and you will be taken to the Preliminary information Page. Read the information on the page, and click “I wish to proceed.” The nest screen that you will encounter is the “Select a Test” screen. In order to take the racism test, select “Race IAT” from the list. Read the on-screen instructions, and click the designated area to begin the test. Read the test instructions and complete the questionnaire about your demographics.
Before taking the test, you should be aware that it is not uncommon for people to disagree with the results, especially if they feel they show a strong preference toward one race or the other. A particularly uncomfortable position is for a person to receive results that they strongly favor a race other than their own. Ultimately, how you choose to interpret the results of the test is up to you. However, the results are fact based, and interpreted on the basis of your response time to each of the questions presented.
Sources:
Harvard University: Race IAT (accessed 9/4/2010)
Harvard University: IAT Overview (accessed 9/4/2010)
Understanding Prejudice.org: IAT Overview (accessed 9/4/2010)
Cheri Pearson - Cheri Pearson is a seasoned freelance journalist who holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of ...
