Validity and reliability of the IAT: Measuring gender and ethnic stereotypes

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) was developed in response to reports of low validity of explicit (self-report) measures of attitudes, stereotypes, and prejudices. Usually, people are unwilling to report what they think and feel about other races, groups, and nationalities. The IAT has been written about in many books, newspapers, journal articles, websites, and has been featured frequently on radio and television many times; its web site has now reached a peak of 5 million visits. However, despite this popularity its validity and particularly its reliability is under question. This article reports on the validity and reliability of the IAT. Four different experiments were conducted on 150 students at California State University, Long Beach to investigate the temporal reliability of IAT. Also students’ opinion (trust) about the validity and reliability of the test was evaluated. The results showed that while there are numerous reports of moderate validity of the test, its reliability as measured in this study, particularly for the first time users, is relatively low. Familiarity with similar tests, however, improves its reliability.

► This article reports on the validity and reliability of the “Implicit Association Test” (IAT).
► The results showed that the temporal reliability of IAT is relatively low.
► Familiarity with similar tests, however, improves its reliability.
► Watching a video about stereotypes increased subjects’ trust in validity of IAT.
► IAT has the potential to be a remarkably powerful tool.