Here's an IAT test from Harvard that I found online which tries to find out if you have an "automatic preference" for either multicultural or unicultural groups. It is not a skill test.

I have a few major objections to it, for example:

* The definitions (the group "multicultural" should rather be called "multiracial" or something like that since it doesn't have anything to do with culture, and the group "unicultural" should be called "caucasian" since that is the only "race" featured in that group)

* They don't seem to take into account that some models grab the attention more than others, which in turn affects the results.

* They also don't seem to take into account that the order of the assignments might affect the results (the more you do it, the "easier" it gets).

...to name a few. It's still a kind of fun and interesting though.

Feel free to try it and - only if you want to - post your results and/or comments, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this thread won't turn nasty considering the "sensitive" subject (take the results with a big grain of salt please).

The link:

https://implicit.harvard....dtask.html

My result:

Your data suggest a slight automatic preference for Multicultural compared to Unicultural.

My data suggested a slight automatic preference for Multicultural compared to Unicultural aswell. I wasn't too concerned with the result although I appreciate others may well be with their outcome.

It does seem a bit of a subjective observation test. I didn't see an elderly people or infants. Perhaps I'm missing something here.

Your Result
Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Multicultural compared to Unicultural.

JDInteractive said:

Yeah, of course if a white person gets a "strong preference for unicultural" that would make him seem like a bit of a racist, wouldn't it? I really wouldn't take it as seriously as that though. What we're used to in the workplace for example often decides what we're familiar and instinctively comfortable with, without saying anything about racism.

Maybe a person of colour will get a "strong preference for unicultural". Wouldn't that be interesting?



Well I think they just want to keep it as purely focused on race/ethicity as possible. Too many other factors, such as age, would just be a distraction.

Mach said:

Strong eh? How did you respond to the questions after the actual test? I wonder if they affect the results at all? (I almost never respond "strongly agree" or "strongly disagree" to those types of questions, I think a simple "agree" or "disagree" is enough)
[Edited 11/7/07 6:05am]

retina said:

I did not use the "strongly" choices

Your data suggest a slight automatic preference for Unicultural compared to Multicultural.

Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Multicultural compared to Unicultural.

heybaby said:

How are you doing these days? It's been a long time since we chatted on Yahoo (or was it MSN?).

retina said:

yahoo . i'm good. i've been quite busy as im not done with school as i hoped so i'm working on photography projects for my portfolios and internships and grant money to finish projects, so i have plenty plenty plenty to do. i love it

Your data suggest little to no automatic preference between Unicultural and Multicultural.



I simply have no preference.

heybaby said:

Grant money...

When and how can I see some of your latest work?

I'm very glad that you seem so happy.

CarrieMpls said:

I think that's actually pretty cool.

Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Multicultural compared to Unicultural.

I read about this test and if you do it enough times you can actually change your preference!

ZombieKitten said:

So you posted here just to disqualify the very foundation this thread rests upon?

Just do the test already.

CarrieMpls said:

That's mine too.

I would say I prefer multicultural, just because it reflects reality and I think that's a positive thing, but apparently my unconscious doesn't care.

retina said:

oops! correction:

the test is based on your unconscious bias - your pre-thinking thinking, right? Supposedly you can't change your unconscious reaction, it's based on years of thinking and reacting the same way - totally INGRAINED. The disturbing thing is it often is incompatable with our conscious views.

(I have done this test before, but my browser didn't let me have a result after all that time so I don't know which way I lean, but I'm sure I am up there with 80% of the test-takers who lean toward the uniculture)

Supposedly you can't change your unconscious bias, but there was this one guy who did the test every day before school and one day he swung his bias over his impressions had changed - turns out he had been watching the Olympics that morning.

Which is good news. Our experiences and our environment CAN change our impressions, we have the potential to change.

ZombieKitten said:

Yeah, I can believe that. We often tend to think of ourselves as more unbiased than we actually are.



Is that what it said? 80%? I didn't notice, but I believe that too, considering how "uniculturally conditioned" most of us in the western world are. That's why I find it strange that so many posters on this thread are "strongly multicultural", although the simple explanation for that is probably that those who leaned towards uniculture simply didn't want to post their results.



If that's true then it seems like they really have succeeded in tapping into our subconscious. Interesting.

retina said:

it is WONDERFUL news

and those posting results of no bias are truly exceptional Heybaby's result is totally within the norm as far as test results go.

Your data suggest a slight automatic preference for Multicultural compared to Unicultural.

This test is quicker - and more fun!

ZombieKitten said:

thats why i find it interesting because i've taken this test before and it said it was strongly multicultural

heybaby said:

OK this wasn't quite true (see my correction post ) if you do the test often, you will find your preference can change, is what it should say

whatever strongly unicultural.

emm said:

emm said:

You racist scumbag.

no wonder 80% of orgers who took this test are afraid to post their results

the solution seems to be to hang out with more variety of folks people! it's proven to change the unconscious bias

Lammastide said:

i've got the perfect emoticon