Political Science and Sociology Panel
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Political Science
Minor
Spanish
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Brittany Wood
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Extant research suggests that implicit bias can predict behavior such as voting, policy preferences, and assessment of government performance (Pérez 2010). Yet, research on implicit bias has largely excluded people of color, leaving a wide gap in our understanding of implicit bias and its effects on society (Orey, 2013). In this study, we research implicit bias within the black community and test its effects on political attitudes. We administer Harvard’s Implicit Association Test (IAT) and a survey to measure levels of implicit bias and subsequently policy preferences and trust in government. We expect to find that the black participants with more implicit preference for whites will hold stronger political attitudes that are critical of policies such as affirmative action. This study supplements extant research by using a unique homogenous sample of self-identified black participants and adds to our knowledge of implicit bias and its political consequences.
Spring Scholars Week 2024 Event
Political Science and Sociology Panel
Included in
Uncharted Territory: Researching the Effect of Implicit Bias on the Political Attitudes of Black Participants
Extant research suggests that implicit bias can predict behavior such as voting, policy preferences, and assessment of government performance (Pérez 2010). Yet, research on implicit bias has largely excluded people of color, leaving a wide gap in our understanding of implicit bias and its effects on society (Orey, 2013). In this study, we research implicit bias within the black community and test its effects on political attitudes. We administer Harvard’s Implicit Association Test (IAT) and a survey to measure levels of implicit bias and subsequently policy preferences and trust in government. We expect to find that the black participants with more implicit preference for whites will hold stronger political attitudes that are critical of policies such as affirmative action. This study supplements extant research by using a unique homogenous sample of self-identified black participants and adds to our knowledge of implicit bias and its political consequences.