The implicit-association test (IAT) is a psychological assessment tool designed to uncover subconscious attitudes or associations that individuals hold towards different social groups. It specifically measures implicit stereotypes and biases by examining the speed at which individuals can associate various concepts with certain attributes (e.g., gender, race, age) during a computer-based task. Because the IAT taps into automatic associations that may not be reachable through self-report methods, it aims to reveal biases that are not consciously recognized by the individual.
In a famous study, participants taking the IAT were found to have faster response times when associating white-sounding names with positive attributes and black-sounding names with negative attributes, suggesting underlying implicit biases based on race.
To counter implicit biases revealed by the IAT, individuals can engage in awareness training and actively seek to challenge their stereotypes by exposing themselves to diverse groups and perspectives.