project i-was-bored-at-work

[maudgonne]

Have you guys taken any of the demo tests on Project Implicit? It's kind of fascinating. They're speed tests, and they're supposed to reveal your biases about all kinds of things.

Here's the background, taken from their website: Psychologists understand that people may not say what's on their minds either because they are unwilling or because they

Comments

[calendae]

It really is interesting. Though I do question it's validity on certain groups of people. Like people that don't use computers or keyboards much.

I think tests like these have their place, but a lot of the reason people are so interested in them is because people who mainly do quantitative research that freak out when there's no way to measure (with numbers!) how people feel. I'm surrounded by a bunch of quantitative people and it's kind of frustrating because nothing is valid unless you can show how it's valid with numbers.

[maudgonne]

Oh, yeah, speed is a big thing. And to me it also made a big difference which association I saw first. I know that's randomly assigned, but it always affected my individual results.

And I feel you on that. I am also surrounded by quantitative people.

[brandywine421]

Hee. I wasn't fast enough.

I think that means I win.

[maudgonne]

You do win. You love everyone equally!

It does take some adjustment.

[brandywine421]

Actually, recently I've noticed that I'm much more comfortable with black people than white people. It's really strange, but I don't freak out as much if I'm hanging out with black people as I do if I'm with a bunch of *crackers*.

[maudgonne]

That's interesting. Have you thought about why that might be?

Re: Similar result --

[maudgonne]

I think both, for me. I am more or less a champion of the underdog, but I am also contrary.

(Yes! The thin people are creepy. So are the fat people, but they at least look nice. Walter left a comment about that.)