The Implicit Attitude Test (IAT) was trying to automatically associate the concept of ‘Women’ with the concept of ‘I Am Sexually Attracted’. My results showed that I have a strong association of sexual attraction with People, compared to Women. I believe that this is strongly influenced by my work in fashion and due to the industry’s diversity. There is high exposure to many different cultures, personalities, and sexual orientations. I found this test interesting because it did attempt at trying to have the tester relearn, or for others enforce, a stereotype. The article by the University of Ohio Kirwan Institute identified this malleability or idea that implicit bias can be changed or be ‘unlearned’ over time. It also identified that another characteristic is its pervasiveness, meaning everyone possesses them, which is important considering how it impacts the employee selection process.
The IAT style of test does have limitations. Supported by the Scientific American Article, ‘the stability of the test is low, meaning that if you take the same test a few weeks apart, you might score very differently’ and the correlation of a person’s scores and discriminatory behavior is often small (Payne, 2018). This reminded me of SAT exam that has been criticized for being biased and favoring wealthy whites. This proves that it is not a fair representation of intelligence and is therefore racially biased and working against closing the achievement gap. Google would agree as they have determined that G.P.A. and test scores are worthless for criteria for hiring (Friedman, 2014).
Based on these two examples there is strong evidence that the type of selection test, interview questions, or other selection methods can be significantly impacted by implicit bias. This means that the reliability and validity are low and means it is low quality and can work against the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion. One thing you could do to prevent implicit bias includes making sure there is accountability in the recruiting process. One could do this by making sure recruitment panels are diverse, using structured interviews that compare candidates horizontally, and checking algorithms or questions that are used for potential bias (SHRM, 2020).
Citations
Understanding Implicit Bias. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/research/understanding-implicit-bias
Gurchiek, Kathy. “Try These Strategies to Reduce Implicit Bias in Your Workplace.” SHRM, SHRM, 23 Apr. 2020, https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/Pages/Try-These-Strategies-to-Reduce-Implicit-Bias-in-Your-Workplace.aspx.
Friedman, T. L. (2014, February 22). How to Get a Job at Google. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/opinion/sunday/friedman-how-to-get-a-job-at-google.html?unlocked_article_code
Payne, K. (2018, March 27). How to Think about ‘Implicit Bias’. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/
