Taking the Implicit Association Test
(IAT)
Background on the IAT
Recent scientific research has demonstrated that biases (like sexism or
racism) thought to be absent or extinguished remain as "mental residue"
in most of us. Studies show that people can be consciously committed to
egalitarianism, and deliberately work to behave without prejudice, yet
still possess hidden negative prejudices or stereotypes. A new suite of
tests, called "implicit association tests" (IATs), can tap those hidden,
or automatic, stereotypes and prejudices that circumvent conscious control.
What is an implicit association?
Sometimes called "unconscious" or "automatic," an implicit association
is a mental response that is so well learned as to operate without awareness,
or without intention, or without control. How does the IAT measure implicit
attitudes? The IAT asks you to pair two concepts (e.g., young and good,
or elderly and good). The more closely associated the two concepts are,
the easier it is to respond to them as a single unit. So, if young and
good are strongly associated, it should be easier to respond quickly.
If elderly and good are not so strongly associated, it should be harder
to respond fast when they are paired. This gives a measure of how strongly
associated the two types of concepts are.
Self-administering the IAT
These tests measure unconscious, or automatic, biases. Your willingness
to examine your own possible biases is an important step in understanding
the roots of stereotypes and prejudice in our society. In order to explore
your own hidden biases regarding gender, we are asking you to complete
the Gender Bias Test on the IAT website.
Please follow the directions below to complete this test:
1. Log onto http://www.tolerance.org/hidden_bias
2. After reading through the text on this page, click on Select a Test
3. This next page provides links to a handful of IATs. Scroll down to
and select the link for Gender Bias.
4. Read through the disclaimer and select Go to the Test
5. The following page asks you a series of optional questions, your answers
to which will not affect you score on the IAT. Once you've completed this
page, click on Proceed.
6. Here you are given instructions for how to take the test over the internet.
Further instructions are provided for you as you take the test.
7. Once you have completed the test (about 5 minutes), you will be given
your personalized results as well as feedback on the performance of other
test-takers.
Processing Your Results
While there's no formal paper to be written for this exercise, we
think it would be well worth your time to think about your results on
the Gender Bias IAT (as well as any other IATs you decided to take, including
any of their Racial Bias Tests, Body Image Tests, Homophobia Test, etc.).
Some questions to think about: how similar(/different) are your conscious
attitudes to your unconscious attitudes? Were you surprised by your results?
Relieved? Angered? Take time to explore the website where you can find
information regarding the development of the IATs, an explanation of how
and why they work, and some published empirical findings from recent years.
We'll spend some time talking about your experiences with the IAT next
week (October 10/11) in sections.
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Discussion Section Assignments - General Information
There are two options for completing the requirements for discussion
sections. ·
OPTION A : you will be assigned ONE topic on which you will write
a 4-5 page research paper AND present a 5-minute in-class presentation.
· OPTION B: You will be assigned TWO topics, on which you will
write TWO 4-5 page research papers. You will NOT give a formal oral presentation,
although you will be expected to participate heavily during discussion
of that topic.
Up to 25 people in each class will be able to sign up for OPTION A (oral
presentation AND research paper). If MORE than 25 people request Option
A, a lottery will determine which option you are assigned. Likewise, if
FEWER than 15 people request Option A, a lottery will also be used.
Research Paper
Everyone will write at least one research paper (Option A = 1 paper,
Option B = two papers). These are formal academic papers which require
a clear argument, good organization, and thorough editing. You will be
given a sentence (a thesis statement) which you must research and defend.
For example, you might be given the sentence, "Women should be required
to register for Selective Services at the age of 18." Although many of
you will be assigned statements that conflict with your fundamental beliefs,
we ask that you take on this perspective and argue it convincingly. You
will have the opportunity to express your personal viewpoint during the
class discussion.
Papers will be:
1. 4-5 pages, double spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point font
2. Spell-checked (and check for grammar errors!)
3. At least 3 references, 2 of which must be non-website, academic sources
(e.g., academic journals, databases, and books).
4. Topics will be assigned to you by your TA.
5. Papers must be turned in at the beginning of the class devoted to your
topic.
Oral Presentation
Each class (except those three that are designated as review days) will
be comprised of student presentations followed by whole-class discussions
of the presented topic. Oral presentations should be 5-minute talks
that reflect the content of your related research paper. We welcome
the use of visual/audio aids or any other props that could get across
the message - get creative! (Let us know if you need any equipment). Although
many of you will be assigned statements that conflict with your fundamental
beliefs, we ask that you take on this perspective and argue it convincingly
in your presentation. You will have the opportunity to express your personal
viewpoint after your presentation.
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Grading Papers and Presentations
Papers and oral reports will require library-based research on the assigned
topic. They will be will be graded based on content, references, clarity
and organization. Papers and reports will be graded on the following scale:
1. Papers/reports that show minimal effort, have weak content and/or many
grammatical or spelling errors, are poorly organized, difficult to follow
and show little or no effort to meet the requirements of the assignment
= 0-5 points. Missed papers/reports or papers are turned in late without
permission will receive a grade of 0. Given their role in the flow of
the class, reports can only occur on the scheduled date. Please check
the course web site to see the tremendous impact the loss of 20 points
will have on your course grade.
2. Papers/reports that show some effort to meet the requirements of the
assignment but have weak content and/or some grammatical and/or spelling
errors or are difficult to follow or are based on weak or minimal evidence
= 6-12 points.
3. Papers/reports showing adequate effort, have content that clearly meets
the requirements of the assignment, and have few, if any, grammatical
and/or spelling errors, are well organized and logical with strong support
from citations = 13-20 points.
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Plagiarism
The following section was copied verbatim from http://depts.washington.edu/grading/issue1/honesty.htm#plagiarism.
One of the most common forms of cheating is plagiarism, using another's
words or ideas without proper citation. When students plagiarize, they
usually do so in one of the following six ways:
1. Using another writer's words without proper citation.
If you use another writer's words, you must place quotation marks around
the quoted material and include a footnote or other indication of the
source of the quotation.
2. Using another writer's ideas without proper citation.
When you use another author's ideas, you must indicate with footnotes
or other means where this information can be found. Your instructors want
to know which ideas and judgments are yours and which you arrived at by
consulting other sources. Even if you arrived at the same judgment on
your own, you need to acknowledge that the writer you consulted also came
up with the idea.
3. Citing your source but reproducing the exact words of a printed
source without quotation marks. This makes it appear that you
have paraphrased rather than borrowed the author's exact words.
4. Borrowing the structure of another author's phrases or sentences
without crediting the author from whom it came. This kind of plagiarism
usually occurs out of laziness: it is easier to replicate another writer's
style than to think about what you have read and then put it in your own
words. The following example is from A Writer's Reference by Diana
Hacker (New York, 1989, p. 171).
Original: If the existence of a signing ape was unsettling for
linguists, it was also startling news for animal behaviorists.
Unacceptable borrowing of words: An ape who knew sign language
unsettled linguists and startled animal behaviorists.
Unacceptable borrowing of sentence structure: If the presence of
a sign-language-using chimp was disturbing for scientists studying language,
it was also surprising to scientists studying animal behavior.
Acceptable paraphrase: When they learned of an ape's ability to
use sign language, both linguists and animal behaviorists were taken by
surprise.
5. Borrowing all or part of another student's paper or using someone
else's outline to write your own paper.
6. Using a paper writing "service" or having a friend write
the paper for you. Regardless of whether you pay a stranger
or have a friend do it, it is a breach of academic honesty to hand in
work that is not your own or to use parts of another student's paper.
7. In computer programming classes, borrowing computer code from
another student and presenting it as your own. When original computer
code is a requirement for a class, it is a violation of the University's
policy if students submit work they themselves did not create.
Note: The guidelines that define plagiarism also apply to information
secured on internet websites. Internet references must specify precisely
where the information was obtained and where it can be found.
You may think that citing another author's work will lower your grade.
In some unusual cases this may be true, if your instructor has indicated
that you must write your paper without reading additional material. But
in fact, as you progress in your studies, you will be expected to show
that you are familiar with important work in your field and can use this
work to further your own thinking. Your professors write this kind of
paper all the time. The key to avoiding plagiarism is that you show clearly
where your own thinking ends and someone else's begins.
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Writing Centers
A list of all the writing centers at the University of Washington can
be found at http://faculty.washington.edu/jwholmes/uwwrite.html.
Any of the writing centers can offer advise of sentence structure and
clarity of thoughts. The Psychology Writing Center is recommended because
of their facility with the types of papers this course requires.
The Psychology Writing Center is located at 3937 15th Ave. NE. To quoate
the description of this center from the above listed web page:
" Faculty and graduate tutors offer one-on-one consultation, handouts,
and other resources on general and scientific writing for undergraduates
in psychology. Scheduled appointments have priority (sign up in 119 Guthrie),
or drop in if the tutor is available."
phone: 685.8278
e-mail: psywc@u.washington.edu
The Psychology Writing Center's web site offers a variety of suggestions
for clear writing and referencing of information. It can be found at http://depts.washington.edu/psywc/
.
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Resubmission of Papers
Papers originally submitted on October 10-11, 2002 or on October 17-18,
2002 can be resubmitted and regraded for either of the following reasons:
1. Paper was poorly written. If your paper was judged as poorly
written, unclear, lacking in correct grammar, spelling and/or sentence
structure, you can rewrite the paper for additional credit. We highly
recommend that you seek the help of one of the writing centers on campus
to assist you in improving your paper (see above).
2. You have read the University definition of plagiarism above and
feel that you (intentionally or unintentionally) plagiarized in your original
paper. If you feel that your work did involve plagiarism, you can
rewrite the paper including appropriate citations and indications of quotations.
If you have trouble determining an acceptable way to present another's
ideas in your paper, a writing center can help. Failure to correct instances
of plagiarism can result in report to the Dean of your school or college
for disciplinary review.
Deadline and Rules
1. Papers originally turned in on October 10-11must be resubmitted during
lecture on Tuesday 10/22/2002.
2. The original paper and original grading sheet must be submitted with
the revised paper.
3. Revised papers will be graded on the same 20 point scale as the original.
Your recorded grade for this paper will be the average of the grades
on the original and the resubmitted papers.
Papers originally submitted on October 17-18, 2002:
The original papers should be returned to you in quiz sections on
October 24-25, 2002. Resubmissions will be due in lecture on Tuesday,
10/29/ 2002.
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