The Implicit Association Test

"Romeo and ______." "Salt and ______." "Thunder and _________." You probably never tried to memorize these phrases consciously. And yet, your mind effortlessly fills in the blanks, thanks to its tremendous capacity to build associations — the building blocks of learning.

Most of these associations are useful (or at least harmless). But through years of exposure to stereotypes and other cultural pairings, our minds also develop implicit biases: culturally learned associations that may even conflict with our consciously held beliefs. (Mahzarin Banaji, a co-developer of the test, disavows all biases, and yet she too shows bias—a learned association—on many tests.)

What implicit biases might exist in your mind? How do they compare with your explicit beliefs? Take this test to find out!

(Note: this version of the test has been adapted for touchscreen devices. For computers with a physical keyboard, take the classic test.)

(Note: this test requires a computer keyboard. If you are using a mobile/touchscreen device, take the Mobile IAT.)

Test yourself

A note before we begin

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) has been taken millions of times by people all over the world. We, the creators of these specific tests, have taken these and many other tests and have found them to be revealing and beneficial in understanding ourselves.

Please note that taking this test is an entirely voluntary act. Nobody can require you to take this test or reveal your test results. It’s best not to take this test if you are concerned about receiving information that may cause you discomfort.

Of course, in making these tests available, we hope you will learn something from this experience. Please proceed if you remain interested in learning about your implicit bias.

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