Minimizing the influence of recoding in the Implicit Association Test: the Recoding-Free Implicit Association Test (IAT-RF).

Full Abstract

Recoding processes can influence the Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) in a way that impedes an unequivocal interpretation of the resulting compatibility effects. We present a modified version of the IAT that aims to eliminate recoding, the IAT-RF (short for "IAT-recoding free"). In the IAT-RF, compatible and incompatible assignments of categories to responses switch randomly between trials within a single experimental block. Abandoning an extended sequence of consistent category-response mappings undermines recoding processes in the IAT-RF. Two experiments reveal that the IAT-RF is capable of assessing compatibility effects between the nominally defined categories of the task and effectively prevents recoding. By enforcing a processing of the stimuli in terms of their task-relevant category membership, the IAT-RF eliminates the confounding of compatibility effects with task switch costs and becomes immune against biased selections of stimuli.

Author information

Author/s: Rothermund, Klaus (K); Teige-Mocigemba, Sarah (S); Gast, Anne (A); Wentura, Dirk (D);

Affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Am Steiger 3, Jena, Germany. klaus.rothermund(-atsign-)uni-jena.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006) (Q J Exp Psychol (Colchester)), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jan; vol 62 (issue 1) : pp 84-98

Dates: Created 2009/01/07; Completed 2009/04/08;

PMID: 18609400, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 4/8/2009, IMS Date: 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00)

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