Doing Translational Research Ep. 27: Studying Implicit Bias with Melissa Ferguson, Cornell University
Feb 15, 2019
Melissa Ferguson, a senior associate dean and professor of psychology at Cornell University, dives into the intriguing realm of implicit cognition and prejudice. She discusses the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and how it can predict behaviors better than self-reports. Highlighting her research with high school students, she emphasizes the importance of understanding unconscious attitudes in improving academic outcomes for underserved communities. Ferguson also shares insights on the challenges of replicating psychological research and the necessity of collaboration in community-based studies.
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Implicit Cognition Reveals Hidden Thoughts
- Implicit cognition captures mental content that people can't or won't report directly.
- Melissa Ferguson measures that content with indirect computer tasks like the IAT to reveal hidden attitudes.
IAT Predicted GPA When Surveys Failed
- Ferguson and collaborator Clayton Kreutzer used an IAT to measure how strongly 'school' is linked to 'important' in students' minds.
- That implicit measure predicted GPA and study behaviors when explicit self-reports did not.
Why Self-Reports Miss Momentary Drives
- Explicit self-reports can miss the mental content that guides behavior in tempting moments.
- Ferguson suggests implicit measures tap into that moment-to-moment content predicting persistence under temptation.