Exploring Implicit Biases Towards Disadvantaged Groups: An IAT Approach

Abstract

Disadvantaged groups, such as individuals with disabilities, orphans, and the impoverished, constitute a significant portion of the population across the globe. These groups encounter numerous challenges in their daily lives. A societal goal should be to support disadvantaged groups in keeping pace with social development and overcoming their hardships. Prejudice, exclusion, and discrimination persist, hindering the integration of these groups into mainstream society. This study seeks to examine public attitudes towards disadvantaged groups using the implicit association test (IAT), which measures implicit acceptance or exclusion based on reaction times. Compared to surveys or interviews, the IAT can more accurately reveal an individual’s unconscious biases and provide quantitative results. In this study, a set of ten positive attribute words, ten negative attribute words, ten conceptual words related to disadvantaged groups, and ten conceptual words related to non-disadvantaged groups were utilized. A total of twenty participants were recruited to attend the trial. The data analysis revealed a general tendency for implicit rejection of disadvantaged groups, with a D value of 0.92, which is very close to the maximum threshold of [-1, 1]. Moreover, the reaction time between the compatible group and incompatible group is significantly different. The results found no statistical difference in attitudes between females and males. The findings of this study highlight the implicit perceptions of disadvantaged groups and call for a societal shift away from exclusion, prejudice, and discrimination. It emphasizes the need for a more equitable, inclusive, and respectful approach towards these groups, advocating for a societal ethos that fosters understanding and support.