Undecideds
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Hidden Persuaders

August 29, 2008

For years now, psychologists at universities across the country have been studying bias, and tests show that we're often unaware of our own hidden agenda. Professor Tony Greenwald describes the Implicit Association Test.


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[1]
Posted by: Kate Katz Hull
August 30, 2008 - 09:41AM
NYC

The problem with the IAT test is that it ignores the ways profound effects of structural racism, history, and the facts of white privilege shape our images of race. Next time you invite someone like Mr. Greenwald to your show, invite someone like Beverly Tatum (author of "Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria." ) Mr. Greenwald's test reduces the problem to individual attitudes rather than permitting an examination of the social, economic, and historical realities that shape the deep racism of our culture.

[2]
Posted by: Khali
August 30, 2008 - 09:26PM
Philadelphia

"A Race for the Future"? Is that some kind of "hidden Persuader"?

[3]
Posted by: Matt
August 31, 2008 - 07:42PM
Arlington, VA

The test does not reveal anything at all! Matching words and images has absolutely no external validity. OTM should have done their due diligence before elevating a parlor game to the prominence of coverage on NPR. That due diligence would include familiarizing yourself with the statistical and methodological theories underlying experimental designs that Tony Greenwald purports to operate within. He does not operate within the methodological mainstream because he ignores the external validity of IAT. If Tony Greenwald did research that pointed to conclusions that Brooke she would have pounced on this shortcoming, so much for high expectations.

[4]
Posted by: Matt
August 31, 2008 - 07:43PM
Arlington, VA

conclusions that Brooke disagreed with, that is...

[5]
Posted by: Rachel
September 02, 2008 - 04:50PM
Austin, TX

Interesting test! Even though the test I took showed that I had "no preference", I found myself having to think harder (or something) to avoid the stereotypes that I knew we were testing for. Very eye-opening!

[6]
Posted by: judy rowe
September 09, 2008 - 08:31PM
michigan/ station WUOM

I would like to take the test. How do I find the link?

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