In
another thread we've began discussing the differences between racism and prejudices with some saying the terms are used interchangeably, some saying prejudices cause racism, and some saying the two can be completely independant of one another.
I believe that racism and prejudices can be independant of one another and that we all possess hidden biases and prejudices, however, to what extent we carry these beliefs will vary. Hopefully, when one is made aware of their hidden biases and prejudices they will work to not hold those biases and prejudice against others.
As part of my mother's womens studies course for her social work degree she was led to a website that will test your hidden biases and she and I both took a test for ageism, although the website offers tests for a variety of different topics. Harvard is leading this study. Please, visit the website, take a test, and post your results in this thread. BTW, the ageism test I took eariler in the year showed that I prefer young people to old people.
Project Implicit - Select a test:
Disability ('Disabled - Abled' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to recognize symbols representing abled and disabled individuals.
Gender - Career. This IAT often reveals a relative link between family and females and between career and males.
Race ('Black - White' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to distinguish faces of European and African origin. It indicates that most Americans have an automatic preference for white over black.
Arab-Muslim ('Arab Muslim - Other People' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to distinguish names that are likely to belong to Arab-Muslims versus people of other nationalities or religions.
Weight ('Fat - Thin' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to distinguish faces of people who are obese and people who are thin. It often reveals an automatic preference for thin people relative to fat people.
Native American ('Native - White American' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to recognize White and Native American faces in either classic or modern dress, and the names of places that are either American or Foreign in origin.
Weapons ('Weapons - Harmless Objects' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to recognize White and Black faces, and images of weapons or harmless objects.
Age ('Young - Old' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to distinguish old from young faces. This test often indicates that Americans have automatic preference for young over old.
Asian American ('Asian - European American' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to recognize White and Asian-American faces, and images of places that are either American or Foreign in origin.
Gender - Science. This IAT often reveals a relative link between liberal arts and females and between science and males.
Skin-tone ('Light Skin - Dark Skin' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to recognize light and dark-skinned faces. It often reveals an automatic preference for light-skin relative to dark-skin.
Sexuality ('Gay - Straight' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to distinguish words and symbols representing gay and straight people. It often reveals an automatic preference for straight relative to gay people.
Presidents ('Presidential Popularity' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to recognize photos of George W. Bush and one or more previous presidents.
Religion ('Judaism - Other Religions' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to recognize religious symbols from various world religions, especially Judaism.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by tolerance.org
TEST YOURSELF FOR HIDDEN BIASES
Recent scientific research has demonstrated that biases thought to be absent or extinguished remain as "mental residue" in most of us.
Studies show people can be consciously committed to egalitarianism, and deliberately work to behave without prejudice, yet still possess hidden negative prejudices or stereotypes.
So even though we believe we see and treat people as equals, hidden biases may still influence our perceptions and actions.
Psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia and the University of Washington created "Project Implicit" to develop Hidden Bias Tests — called Implicit Association Tests, or IATs, in the academic world — to measure unconscious bias.
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The Southern Poverty Law Center website,
Tolerance.org, is a great website for anyone interested in learning to promote tolerance.
An excerpt from my mom's text book,
Women's Voices, Feminist Visions:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by textbook
Go to the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance Web site at Tolerance.org...forwarding to index.jsp. Click on " Explore your hidden biases" to take a series of tests to uncover unconscious bias you may have. Even though most of us believe we view everyone equally, we still may hold stereotypes and biases of which we are unaware. These tests can check to see if perhaps you hold hidden biases of race, sexual orentation, age, gender, or body image. After you finish the tests, take a few minutes to write what you learned about yourself. Were there any surprises? Do you hold hidden biases? How do you feel about your test results? Now that you know about your hidden biases, what can you do? |
I took the race test in about 5 minutes. The result came up in a green box at the end of the test. My results said,
"Your data suggest a slight automatic preference for African American compared to European American." I've always been one who really isn't concerned with a person's race as compared to their character. My parents have always taught me that there is good and bad in everybody. I thought I would be fairly neutral or slight preference one way or the other and that slight preference might change if I took it again. If it was anything more then a slight preference, one way or the other, I'd be surprised. If I had tested for a slight or even moderate preference for European American, would I be labelled racist? or prejudiced?
For the purpose of this thread, members must take a test and post their results in order to participate. This rule is to encourage a positive discussion with serious participants.