The role of recoding in implicit social cognition: Investigating the scope and interpretation of the ReAL model for the implicit association test

The ReAL model is a multinomial processing tree model that quantifies the contribution of three qualitatively distinct processes–recoding, associations, and accuracy–to responses on the implicit association test (IAT), but has only been validated on a modified version of the IAT procedure. The initial goal of the present research was to validate an abbreviated version of the ReAL model (i.e., the Brief ReAL model) on the standard IAT procedure. Two experiments replicated previous validity evidence for the ReAL model on the modified IAT procedure, but did not produce valid parameter estimates for the Brief ReAL model on the standard IAT procedure. A third, pre-registered experiment systematically manipulated all of the task procedures that vary between the standard and modified IAT procedures–response deadline, number of trials, trial constraints–to determine the conditions under which the Brief ReAL model can be validly applied to the IAT. The Brief ReAL model estimated theoretically-interpretable parameters only under a narrow range of IAT conditions, but the ReAL model generally estimated theoretically-interpretable parameters under most IAT conditions. We discuss the application of these findings to implicit social cognition research, and their implications to social cognitive theory.

Invalid Claims About the Validity of Implicit Association Tests by Prisoners of the Implicit Social-Cognition Paradigm

In a prior publication, I used structural equation modeling of multimethod data to examine the construct validity of Implicit Association Tests. The results showed no evidence that IATs measure implicit constructs (e.g., implicit self-esteem, implicit racial bias). This critique of IATs elicited several responses by implicit social-cognition researchers, who tried to defend the validity and usefulness of IATs. I carefully examine these arguments and show that they lack validity. IAT proponents consistently ignore or misrepresent facts that challenge the validity of IATs as measures of individual differences in implicit cognitions. One response suggests that IATs can be useful even if they merely measure the same constructs as self-report measures, but I find no support for the claim that IATs have practically significant incremental predictive validity. In conclusions, IATs are widely used without psychometric evidence of construct or predictive validity.

Implicit social cognition: A brief (and gentle) introduction

Over the past three decades, implicit social cognition research has flourished and has produced myriad novel insights into the automatic operation of social attitudes (evaluations) and stereotypes (beliefs). In this chapter, we provide an overview of what we regard to be significant and settled issues as well as the most pressing open questions that remain. Following a brief historical overview, we address (a) basic findings, such as mean levels of and demographic variation in implicit bias; (b) the relationship of implicit attitudes and stereotypes with other measures, including explicit attitudes and stereotypes and other forms of intergroup behavior; (c) the neural underpinnings of implicit bias; (d) questions of stability and change at different levels of analysis, including developmental stability, situational malleability, the prospect of long-term change within a single individual, and societal-level change; and (e) ongoing work and stimulating new developments, including aggregate-level analyses, the role of language, and questions about the representational format of implicit attitudes and stereotypes.

The Case for Studying Implicit Social Cognition in Close Relationships

This review offers close relationships as a fruitful avenue to address long-lasting questions and current controversies in implicit social cognition research. Close relationships provide a unique opportunity to study strong attitudes that are formed and updated through ongoing contact with significant others and appear to have important downstream consequences. Therefore, close relationship contexts enable researchers to apply fine-grained, dyadic, longitudinal methodologies to provide unique insights regarding whether and how automatic attitudes relate to personal experience, change meaningfully and reliably over time, and predict consequential judgments and behaviors. Further, given that close relationships are critical to people's well-being and health, applying implicit social cognition theories to close relationships may also offer practical benefits regarding real-world issues related to relationship decay. In this regard, we provide guidance for future research by highlighting how continuing to refine our understanding of implicit social cognition in close relationships can inform interventions and reliably benefit society

Prediction of social behavior in autism spectrum disorders: Explicit versus implicit social cognition

Deficient social communication and interaction behaviors are a hallmark feature of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. These social communication and interaction deficits potentially stem from problems with explicit social cognition (i.e. processes that are controlled and largely conscious) as well as with implicit social cognition (i.e. processes that are fast, spontaneous, and primarily unconscious). This study aimed to investigate the relative contributions of implicit and explicit social cognition factors as predictors of multi-informant measures of social communication and interaction behaviors in a sample of 34 youth with clinical diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder. Behavioral, cognitive, and electrophysiological indices of implicit and explicit social cognition were entered into partial least squares regression models designed to identify latent factors that optimally predict parent-report, observer-coded, and clinician-rated social communication, and interaction outcomes. Results indicated that while both implicit and explicit social cognition factors optimally predicted outcomes, implicit social cognition factors were relatively more predictive. Findings have important implications for the conceptualization and measurement of social functioning as well as the development of targeted social interventions in autism spectrum disorder populations. Lay abstract Difficulties with social communication and interaction are a hallmark feature of autism spectrum disorder. These difficulties may be the result of problems with explicit social cognition (effortful and largely conscious processes) such as learning and recalling social norms or rules. Alternatively, social deficits may stem from problems with implicit social cognition (rapid and largely unconscious processes) such as the efficient integration of social information. The goal of this study was to determine how problems in explicit and implicit social cognition relate to social behavior in 34 youth with autism spectrum disorder. We measured aspects of implicit and explicit social cognition abilities in the laboratory using behavioral, cognitive, and brain (electrophysiological) measures. We then used those measures to predict “real-world” social behavior as reported by parents, clinicians, and independent observers. Results showed that overall better aspects of implicit and explicit social cognition predicted more competent social behavior. In addition, the ability to fluidly integrate social information (implicit social cognition) was more frequently related to competent social behavior that merely knowing what to do in social situations (explicit social cognition). These findings may help with the development of interventions focusing on improving social deficits.

Implicit social cognition through years: The Implicit Association Test at age 21

<p>The advent of implicit measures opened the access to processes of which people might not be completely aware but that can still influence their attitudes, preferences, and behaviors towards different objects. Among the existing implicit measures, the Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) is one of the most studied and used. The descriptive literature review presented in this work was aimed at providing an overview of how the IAT has been used from the year of its first introduction until current days. Specifically, the main fields of application of the IAT, the specific topics for which it has been used, and its concurrent use with other implicit measures have been highlighted and described. When possible, information on the samples on which the studies were carried out are reported. Results indicate an on-going growth of the IAT in a constantly wider range of topics. The ability of the IAT to overcome self-presentation biases and to access the implicit aspects of attitudes have been particularly exploited for investigating biases towards different out-groups, especially in sensitive contexts.<br></p>