Challenging the Mechanism for the Implicit Association Test Article Swipe

View

Kyle J. LaFollette , Doroteja Rubez , Heath A. Demaree , Amit Goldenberg ·

YOU? · · 2025 · Open Access · · DOI: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2

Implicit biases are stereotypes and attitudes that influence decisions and actions, contributing to discrimination and societal inequities. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is the most widely used tool for measuring implicit bias, assessing response time in sorting stimuli into labeled categories. Most interpretations assume that IAT performance (D-scores) reflects conflicting associative memories or decision ease. We challenged this assumption by decomposing D-scores into additional cognitive processes that may influence results, particularly response caution—the tendency to trade speed for accuracy. Using Racing Diffusion Models across 39 topics (N = 115,601), we found that response caution explained significantly more variance in D-scores beyond decision ease. Response caution also best predicted explicitly reported biases. These findings challenge the traditional interpretation of D-scores as primarily reflecting associative memory activation and highlight the need to consider multiple cognitive processes when assessing implicit biases.

Related Topics

Concepts

Implicit-association test Mechanism (biology) Test (biology) Association (psychology) Psychology Computer science Cognitive psychology Epistemology Philosophy Geology Paleontology Psychotherapist

Metadata

Type: preprint
Language: en
Landing Page: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
OA Status: gold
Related Works: 10
OpenAlex ID: https://openalex.org/W4408226284

All OpenAlex metadata

Raw OpenAlex JSON

OpenAlex ID: https://openalex.org/W4408226284

Canonical identifier for this work in OpenAlex
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2

Digital Object Identifier
Title: Challenging the Mechanism for the Implicit Association Test

Work title
Type: preprint

OpenAlex work type
Language: en

Primary language
Publication year: 2025

Year of publication
Publication date: 2025-03-07

Full publication date if available
Authors: Kyle J. LaFollette, Doroteja Rubez, Heath A. Demaree, Amit Goldenberg

List of authors in order
Landing page: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2

Publisher landing page
Open access: Yes

Whether a free full text is available
OA status: gold

Open access status per OpenAlex
OA URL: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2

Direct OA link when available
Concepts: Implicit-association test, Mechanism (biology), Test (biology), Association (psychology), Psychology, Computer science, Cognitive psychology, Epistemology, Philosophy, Geology, Paleontology, Psychotherapist

Top concepts (fields/topics) attached by OpenAlex
Cited by: 0

Total citation count in OpenAlex
Related works (count): 10

Other works algorithmically related by OpenAlex

Full payload

id	https://openalex.org/W4408226284
doi	https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
ids.doi	https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
ids.openalex	https://openalex.org/W4408226284
fwci	0.0
type	preprint
title	Challenging the Mechanism for the Implicit Association Test
biblio.issue
biblio.volume
biblio.last_page
biblio.first_page
topics[0].id	https://openalex.org/T11032
topics[0].field.id	https://openalex.org/fields/17
topics[0].field.display_name	Computer Science
topics[0].score	0.47609999775886536
topics[0].domain.id	https://openalex.org/domains/3
topics[0].domain.display_name	Physical Sciences
topics[0].subfield.id	https://openalex.org/subfields/1708
topics[0].subfield.display_name	Hardware and Architecture
topics[0].display_name	VLSI and Analog Circuit Testing
is_xpac	False
apc_list
apc_paid
concepts[0].id	https://openalex.org/C2779778163
concepts[0].level	2
concepts[0].score	0.8038358688354492
concepts[0].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q774081
concepts[0].display_name	Implicit-association test
concepts[1].id	https://openalex.org/C89611455
concepts[1].level	2
concepts[1].score	0.7389911413192749
concepts[1].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6804646
concepts[1].display_name	Mechanism (biology)
concepts[2].id	https://openalex.org/C2777267654
concepts[2].level	2
concepts[2].score	0.622167706489563
concepts[2].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3519023
concepts[2].display_name	Test (biology)
concepts[3].id	https://openalex.org/C142853389
concepts[3].level	2
concepts[3].score	0.6189439296722412
concepts[3].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q744778
concepts[3].display_name	Association (psychology)
concepts[4].id	https://openalex.org/C15744967
concepts[4].level	0
concepts[4].score	0.4336881935596466
concepts[4].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418
concepts[4].display_name	Psychology
concepts[5].id	https://openalex.org/C41008148
concepts[5].level	0
concepts[5].score	0.35274574160575867
concepts[5].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198
concepts[5].display_name	Computer science
concepts[6].id	https://openalex.org/C180747234
concepts[6].level	1
concepts[6].score	0.32712459564208984
concepts[6].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23373
concepts[6].display_name	Cognitive psychology
concepts[7].id	https://openalex.org/C111472728
concepts[7].level	1
concepts[7].score	0.3016800284385681
concepts[7].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471
concepts[7].display_name	Epistemology
concepts[8].id	https://openalex.org/C138885662
concepts[8].level	0
concepts[8].score	0.17920544743537903
concepts[8].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891
concepts[8].display_name	Philosophy
concepts[9].id	https://openalex.org/C127313418
concepts[9].level	0
concepts[9].score	0.12864276766777039
concepts[9].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1069
concepts[9].display_name	Geology
concepts[10].id	https://openalex.org/C151730666
concepts[10].level	1
concepts[10].score	0.08472198247909546
concepts[10].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7205
concepts[10].display_name	Paleontology
concepts[11].id	https://openalex.org/C542102704
concepts[11].level	1
concepts[11].score	0.07564663887023926
concepts[11].wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q183257
concepts[11].display_name	Psychotherapist
keywords[0].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/implicit-association-test
keywords[0].score	0.8038358688354492
keywords[0].display_name	Implicit-association test
keywords[1].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/mechanism
keywords[1].score	0.7389911413192749
keywords[1].display_name	Mechanism (biology)
keywords[2].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/test
keywords[2].score	0.622167706489563
keywords[2].display_name	Test (biology)
keywords[3].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/association
keywords[3].score	0.6189439296722412
keywords[3].display_name	Association (psychology)
keywords[4].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/psychology
keywords[4].score	0.4336881935596466
keywords[4].display_name	Psychology
keywords[5].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-science
keywords[5].score	0.35274574160575867
keywords[5].display_name	Computer science
keywords[6].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/cognitive-psychology
keywords[6].score	0.32712459564208984
keywords[6].display_name	Cognitive psychology
keywords[7].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/epistemology
keywords[7].score	0.3016800284385681
keywords[7].display_name	Epistemology
keywords[8].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/philosophy
keywords[8].score	0.17920544743537903
keywords[8].display_name	Philosophy
keywords[9].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/geology
keywords[9].score	0.12864276766777039
keywords[9].display_name	Geology
keywords[10].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/paleontology
keywords[10].score	0.08472198247909546
keywords[10].display_name	Paleontology
keywords[11].id	https://openalex.org/keywords/psychotherapist
keywords[11].score	0.07564663887023926
keywords[11].display_name	Psychotherapist
language	en
locations[0].id	doi:10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
locations[0].is_oa	True
locations[0].source
locations[0].license	cc-by
locations[0].pdf_url
locations[0].version	acceptedVersion
locations[0].raw_type	posted-content
locations[0].license_id	https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by
locations[0].is_accepted	True
locations[0].is_published	False
locations[0].raw_source_name
locations[0].landing_page_url	https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
indexed_in	crossref
authorships[0].author.id	https://openalex.org/A5082090691
authorships[0].author.orcid	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1388-7387
authorships[0].author.display_name	Kyle J. LaFollette
authorships[0].countries	US
authorships[0].affiliations[0].institution_ids	https://openalex.org/I58956616
authorships[0].affiliations[0].raw_affiliation_string	Case Western Reserve University
authorships[0].institutions[0].id	https://openalex.org/I58956616
authorships[0].institutions[0].ror	https://ror.org/051fd9666
authorships[0].institutions[0].type	education
authorships[0].institutions[0].lineage	https://openalex.org/I58956616
authorships[0].institutions[0].country_code	US
authorships[0].institutions[0].display_name	Case Western Reserve University
authorships[0].author_position	first
authorships[0].raw_author_name	Kyle J. LaFollette
authorships[0].is_corresponding	False
authorships[0].raw_affiliation_strings	Case Western Reserve University
authorships[1].author.id	https://openalex.org/A5116002755
authorships[1].author.orcid	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2699-0746
authorships[1].author.display_name	Doroteja Rubez
authorships[1].author_position	middle
authorships[1].raw_author_name	Doroteja Rubez
authorships[1].is_corresponding	False
authorships[2].author.id	https://openalex.org/A5013903133
authorships[2].author.orcid	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9655-8882
authorships[2].author.display_name	Heath A. Demaree
authorships[2].countries	US
authorships[2].affiliations[0].institution_ids	https://openalex.org/I58956616
authorships[2].affiliations[0].raw_affiliation_string	Case Western Reserve University
authorships[2].institutions[0].id	https://openalex.org/I58956616
authorships[2].institutions[0].ror	https://ror.org/051fd9666
authorships[2].institutions[0].type	education
authorships[2].institutions[0].lineage	https://openalex.org/I58956616
authorships[2].institutions[0].country_code	US
authorships[2].institutions[0].display_name	Case Western Reserve University
authorships[2].author_position	middle
authorships[2].raw_author_name	Heath Demaree
authorships[2].is_corresponding	False
authorships[2].raw_affiliation_strings	Case Western Reserve University
authorships[3].author.id	https://openalex.org/A5025218700
authorships[3].author.orcid	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9417-5682
authorships[3].author.display_name	Amit Goldenberg
authorships[3].author_position	last
authorships[3].raw_author_name	Amit Goldenberg
authorships[3].is_corresponding	False
has_content.pdf	False
has_content.grobid_xml	False
is_paratext	False
open_access.is_oa	True
open_access.oa_url	https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
open_access.oa_status	gold
open_access.any_repository_has_fulltext	False
created_date	2025-10-10T00:00:00
display_name	Challenging the Mechanism for the Implicit Association Test
has_fulltext	False
is_retracted	False
updated_date	2025-11-06T03:46:38.306776
primary_topic.id	https://openalex.org/T11032
primary_topic.field.id	https://openalex.org/fields/17
primary_topic.field.display_name	Computer Science
primary_topic.score	0.47609999775886536
primary_topic.domain.id	https://openalex.org/domains/3
primary_topic.domain.display_name	Physical Sciences
primary_topic.subfield.id	https://openalex.org/subfields/1708
primary_topic.subfield.display_name	Hardware and Architecture
primary_topic.display_name	VLSI and Analog Circuit Testing
related_works	https://openalex.org/W2004801247, https://openalex.org/W3009963837, https://openalex.org/W4245147591, https://openalex.org/W2249183843, https://openalex.org/W3125572809, https://openalex.org/W1664016015, https://openalex.org/W3186938151, https://openalex.org/W2791633095, https://openalex.org/W2351229758, https://openalex.org/W1975149702
cited_by_count	0
locations_count	1
best_oa_location.id	doi:10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
best_oa_location.is_oa	True
best_oa_location.source
best_oa_location.license	cc-by
best_oa_location.pdf_url
best_oa_location.version	acceptedVersion
best_oa_location.raw_type	posted-content
best_oa_location.license_id	https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by
best_oa_location.is_accepted	True
best_oa_location.is_published	False
best_oa_location.raw_source_name
best_oa_location.landing_page_url	https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
primary_location.id	doi:10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
primary_location.is_oa	True
primary_location.source
primary_location.license	cc-by
primary_location.pdf_url
primary_location.version	acceptedVersion
primary_location.raw_type	posted-content
primary_location.license_id	https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by
primary_location.is_accepted	True
primary_location.is_published	False
primary_location.raw_source_name
primary_location.landing_page_url	https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/69mex_v2
publication_date	2025-03-07
publication_year	2025
referenced_works_count	0
abstract_inverted_index.=	87
abstract_inverted_index.(N	86
abstract_inverted_index.39	84
abstract_inverted_index.We	55
abstract_inverted_index.as	119
abstract_inverted_index.by	59
abstract_inverted_index.in	35, 98
abstract_inverted_index.is	22
abstract_inverted_index.of	117
abstract_inverted_index.or	52
abstract_inverted_index.to	12, 74, 129
abstract_inverted_index.we	89
abstract_inverted_index.IAT	45
abstract_inverted_index.The	17
abstract_inverted_index.and	4, 9, 14, 125
abstract_inverted_index.are	2
abstract_inverted_index.for	28, 77
abstract_inverted_index.may	67
abstract_inverted_index.the	23, 114, 127
abstract_inverted_index.Most	41
abstract_inverted_index.Test	20
abstract_inverted_index.also	105
abstract_inverted_index.best	106
abstract_inverted_index.into	38, 62
abstract_inverted_index.more	96
abstract_inverted_index.most	24
abstract_inverted_index.need	128
abstract_inverted_index.that	6, 44, 66, 91
abstract_inverted_index.this	57
abstract_inverted_index.time	34
abstract_inverted_index.tool	27
abstract_inverted_index.used	26
abstract_inverted_index.when	134
abstract_inverted_index.(IAT)	21
abstract_inverted_index.These	111
abstract_inverted_index.Using	79
abstract_inverted_index.bias,	31
abstract_inverted_index.ease.	54, 102
abstract_inverted_index.found	90
abstract_inverted_index.speed	76
abstract_inverted_index.trade	75
abstract_inverted_index.Models	82
abstract_inverted_index.Racing	80
abstract_inverted_index.across	83
abstract_inverted_index.assume	43
abstract_inverted_index.beyond	100
abstract_inverted_index.biases	1
abstract_inverted_index.memory	123
abstract_inverted_index.topics	85
abstract_inverted_index.widely	25
abstract_inverted_index.biases.	110, 137
abstract_inverted_index.caution	93, 104
abstract_inverted_index.labeled	39
abstract_inverted_index.sorting	36
abstract_inverted_index.stimuli	37
abstract_inverted_index.D-scores	61, 99, 118
abstract_inverted_index.Implicit	0, 18
abstract_inverted_index.Response	103
abstract_inverted_index.actions,	10
abstract_inverted_index.consider	130
abstract_inverted_index.decision	53, 101
abstract_inverted_index.findings	112
abstract_inverted_index.implicit	30, 136
abstract_inverted_index.memories	51
abstract_inverted_index.multiple	131
abstract_inverted_index.reflects	48
abstract_inverted_index.reported	109
abstract_inverted_index.response	33, 71, 92
abstract_inverted_index.results,	69
abstract_inverted_index.societal	15
abstract_inverted_index.tendency	73
abstract_inverted_index.variance	97
abstract_inverted_index.115,601),	88
abstract_inverted_index.Diffusion	81
abstract_inverted_index.accuracy.	78
abstract_inverted_index.assessing	32, 135
abstract_inverted_index.attitudes	5
abstract_inverted_index.challenge	113
abstract_inverted_index.cognitive	64, 132
abstract_inverted_index.decisions	8
abstract_inverted_index.explained	94
abstract_inverted_index.highlight	126
abstract_inverted_index.influence	7, 68
abstract_inverted_index.measuring	29
abstract_inverted_index.predicted	107
abstract_inverted_index.primarily	120
abstract_inverted_index.processes	65, 133
abstract_inverted_index.(D-scores)	47
abstract_inverted_index.activation	124
abstract_inverted_index.additional	63
abstract_inverted_index.assumption	58
abstract_inverted_index.challenged	56
abstract_inverted_index.explicitly	108
abstract_inverted_index.reflecting	121
abstract_inverted_index.Association	19
abstract_inverted_index.associative	50, 122
abstract_inverted_index.categories.	40
abstract_inverted_index.conflicting	49
abstract_inverted_index.decomposing	60
abstract_inverted_index.inequities.	16
abstract_inverted_index.performance	46
abstract_inverted_index.stereotypes	3
abstract_inverted_index.traditional	115
abstract_inverted_index.contributing	11
abstract_inverted_index.particularly	70
abstract_inverted_index.caution—the	72
abstract_inverted_index.significantly	95
abstract_inverted_index.discrimination	13
abstract_inverted_index.interpretation	116
abstract_inverted_index.interpretations	42
cited_by_percentile_year
countries_distinct_count	1
institutions_distinct_count	4
citation_normalized_percentile.value	0.06900568
citation_normalized_percentile.is_in_top_1_percent	False
citation_normalized_percentile.is_in_top_10_percent	True