The purpose of this paper is to for you to reflect on the experience of taking the Implicit bias test.You do not need to share your results, but respond the questions below. Thoroughness of your response and thoughtfulness of your reflection as well as spelling and grammar are taken into account for full point distribution.
- What feelings or reactions did you have upon learning your IAT results? For example, did you believe the results? Did you want to disregard them? Did they NOT surprise you? Did you feel discomfort or distress? (6 points)
- Reflect on your life experiences that may have influenced your results. Consider your childhood and family upbringing; the neighborhoods in which you’ve lived; elements of your career path; media messages; your family and peer networks; etc. How might these experiences have shaped your biases, with or without your conscious awareness? (4 points)
- How might knowing your IAT results affect your future actions and decisions in your life in general? (4 points)
- How might knowing your IAT results affect your future actions and decisions when you work with and in the community? (6 points)
Reflection on Implicit Associate/Bias (IAT) Test
After completing the test, I felt that my responses suggested a moderate automatic preference for thin people over fat people. However, this feeling could not align with the Implicit Association Test (IAT) objective because the results aimed to achieve the educational objectives. I believed these results because, in my life, I have always discriminated against thin people. In most cases, the discrimination has been unconscious. I have, over the years, formed implicit bias, which has contributed to the disparities in my life. The disparities over the thin people have existed whenever I met people in school or even malls. Thus, I have perpetuated bias and discrimination against people about their bodies. Reflecting on the results make me want to believe in them. However, I was a little apprehensive about my tendency. I believe that understanding my implicit bias will help me to attempt to suppress them unconsciously. I still have questions about the IAT but will continue consulting with experts to minimize discrimination. The order in which I took the test did not influence my results. Although I did not use practice trials, I randomly assigned the order of IAT. I evaluated the good and bad in the association and evaluation of thin and fat people. I realized that I categories thin people to be good over fat people.
Over the years, I have lived with people who expressly discriminated against others. I borrowed these habits as a form of making fun. As I grew older, I started reading in magazines and watching episodes in the media about body shaming. These experiences influenced my results a great deal because my upbringing and socializations shaped my biases. The broader social environment I grew in and interacted with immensely helped me develop biases against thin people. I developed this belief based on the systematic error towards the group of thin people. In my career, I extended this belief attributing some qualities to thin people through stereotyping. I failed to control the prejudices and therefore made my discrimination against thin people more intentional. Society has continued to my developing certain stereotype that influenced my implicit bias. It was generally impossible to separate myself from the impact that society had on me.
IAT results might affect my general outlook and decisions about life by helping me control my beliefs. The results can influence how I behave towards thin people and fat people. I may avoid discriminating against certain social groups in my school, career and professional environment and even where I live. I may avoid stereotyping people in my school environment by internalizing my attitudes to body structures and their performances. Therefore, I will use the results and exhibit my unconscious beliefs for fat people or people.
In the workplace and the community, I will use IAT results to respond to discrimination and prejudice, which may have devastating consequences on my relationships. Therefore, my decisions and general behaviour would be more accommodating of the diversity in society in terms of body complexions. I will appreciate the individual differences between thin and fat people. After completing the test, I am likely to focus on appreciating the individuality of people rather than use stereotypes to define them. I will extensively change my stereotypes and adjust my responses to thin and fat people in the community. I will adjust my perspectives and try to see things from the perspective of another person. I will practice mindfulness, increase my exposure and spend more time with both thin people and fat people. I will attend diverse community events.