I found the IAT to be an interesting test. I enjoyed taking the tests, and was not too surprised with what the data showed. I took the race test twice. The test indicates that I have a “moderate automatic preference for European Americans compared to African Americans.” This result did not surprise me. I grew up in a suburban town that did not include much diversity. As I grew older, went to college, and had new experiences I was exposed to many people who have different backgrounds than I do. This was a great experience. I have met many people that are a different race, have a different sexual preference than I do, and grew up in many different parts of our country. Without these experiences, I would not have known many people from diverse backgrounds. I am thankful for these experiences, and I am sure that they played a role in the results that were shown on the IAT.
The second test was the one that compared genders and roles of a male and female. When I took this test, I was neutral and had no automatic preference one way or the other. I grew up where both of my parents worked and where they were both responsible for providing a safe home for their family. Providing for a family can come in many ways. It can come financially, but also in aspects of daily living. Having a career and providing for a family are two separate identities that are still related. Let’s face it, how many people work just for fun? There is usually a reason why people work, which is to support themselves or the people that depend upon them; making career and family life intertwined at some points.
