Saturday 17 September 2011

What did you find interesting about the test? What question do you still have after this?

I found it interesting that the speed at which you click E or I determined how subconsciously inclined you were towards a certain race. I would never think that someone who automatically preferred whites would react more quickly to a photo of them, though I suppose this makes sense now.
I also found it interesting that African Americans - or any non-whites - are more likely to subconsciously prefer European Americans as well. It is understandable that a white person would prefer their own race if they are 1) more prejudice than others or 2) more accustomed to seeing people of their own race. However, at first, it didn't make sense that an African American would not prefer someone of their own race as well for the same two reasons. I suppose the few who fall into  either or both of these two categories are the 29% who did not prefer European Americans to African Americans on the IAT. I have understood what a huge influence the media has played in humans' lives, but I did not fully realize that the media also carried a large subtext of prejudice and racism (and sexism and ageism among other things) that impacts even African Americans and other people of color around the world. This is the only explanation I can think of for why non-whites would prefer European Americans: the way they are portrayed in the media.

This isn't a question exactly, but one thing I would be interested in looking into more is the media's portrayal of non-white races and non-Western cultures.
How would someone who associates for example, African Americans and Bad or Female and Family, detach the two concepts or categories?

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