Bias: We may not want it, but we have it
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 6:17 pm
In the U.S. particularly, the election is causing an increasing dialogue in the media about the importance or unimportance of race in perception etc.
I was listening to NPR this afternoon and they were interviewing this sociology group at Harvard that designed a test of bias called the "Implicit Association Test". As with any kind of scientific testing, there must be a quantitative measurement for the results to mean anything. In this case, the measurement is reaction time and our ability to sort categories of positive and negative words along with faces of various genders, races, and nationalities. By measuring reaction time the test measures subconscious bias. (So though you may think you have none, the test may reveal unconscious bias.)
There is a test of African American racial bias, Middle Eastern bias, weight related bias... about 15 in all, including an Obama vs. McCain association test.
The Racial Bias, gender and weight bias tests and the results were pretty eye opening. Indeed, I like many, have bias where I don't want it.
Follow the "Demonstration" link to take a test.
-e
I was listening to NPR this afternoon and they were interviewing this sociology group at Harvard that designed a test of bias called the "Implicit Association Test". As with any kind of scientific testing, there must be a quantitative measurement for the results to mean anything. In this case, the measurement is reaction time and our ability to sort categories of positive and negative words along with faces of various genders, races, and nationalities. By measuring reaction time the test measures subconscious bias. (So though you may think you have none, the test may reveal unconscious bias.)
There is a test of African American racial bias, Middle Eastern bias, weight related bias... about 15 in all, including an Obama vs. McCain association test.
The Racial Bias, gender and weight bias tests and the results were pretty eye opening. Indeed, I like many, have bias where I don't want it.
Follow the "Demonstration" link to take a test.
-e