Project Implicit® - Background Information

Psychologists understand that people may not say what's on their minds either because they are unwilling or because they are unable to do so. For example, if asked "How much do you smoke?" a smoker who smokes 4 packs a day may purposely report smoking only 2 packs a day because they are embarrassed to admit the correct number. Or, the smoker may simply not answer the question, regarding it as a private matter. (These are examples of being unwilling to report a known answer.) But it is also possible that a smoker who smokes 4 packs a day may report smoking only 2 packs because they honestly believe they only smoke about 2 packs a day. (Unknowingly giving an incorrect answer is sometimes called self-deception; this illustrates being unable to give the desired answer).

The unwilling-unable distinction is like the difference between purposely hiding something from others and unconsciously hiding something from yourself. The Implicit Association Test makes it possible to penetrate both of these types of hiding. The IAT measures implicit attitudes and beliefs that people are either unwilling or unable to report.

General Information

Origins and measurement with the IAT
Answers to frequently asked questions about the IAT
Understanding and interpreting IAT results
Ethical considerations for applications of the IAT

Information for researchers and organizations that would like to learn more about the IAT and Project Implicit

Bibliography of relevant research
Project Implicit's Information website: Contains background information about the project, contact information for services, and research materials.

If you have any unanswered questions about the tests, please feel free to email us.

via implicit.harvard.edu

A test talked about in Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink"

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