While taking the 4 IAT tests, I was determined to show I had no strong implicit bias towards the majority group, and felt confident because of my recently increasing feelings of anger and shame towards my own whiteness because of inner work I've been doing. I was taken by, despite this determination and rage, the fast pace of the test cut right through most recent changes and brought out the bias that's in my fabric, that's been ingrained in me as I've grown up a caucasian, middle class, suburban raised male. It was a humbling experience to see that this work of undoing implicit bias will be lengthy work, and I'm just getting started.
The tests were very interesting to me. Like you, I went in determined that I would "pass." Right out the gate, I had a result in strong bias for lighter skin tones. My heart sunk. While my other tests did not result in such a strong bias (I actually scored strong Native American as American), it was really eye opening how much more work there is to do.
I have no doubt Most of us have underlying bias, so I wan't surprised, honestly. I did think it was kind of weird to train your brain to respond one way and then switch it to something different. So, you have to unlearn and learn a different set up, and then compare those...? Some of the other questions that accompanied the E/I matching games seemed more forward and thought intensive, but also didn't give many options or didn't sit right. How do you feel towards Light skinned/ European, white people? do you trust them etc. No. I feel cold as hell towards many of my fellow Caucasians becausemany of them are perpetuating cycles of racism, hatred and ignorance that is destroying lives and our world.
I'd be interested to try other tests, but wasn't a fan of the IAT's for the most part.
I thought the tests were very interesting. I do wonder if my results would have been different if I had taken each test on a different day instead of doing them in the same sitting. It seems like they do not account for speed in the the results and I wonder if in this way, the results were inaccurate because I definitely slowed down to answer correctly on occasion. I read the description of the IAT test and was disheartened to see that there is no scientifically proven way to eradicate implicit bias which makes our individual work to overcome these biases a constant battle as opposed to one we can work on, overcome and move on to a more enlightened state of being.