Accuracy of Harvard Implicit Bias Test

Review of Harvard Implicit Bias Association Test

The Harvard Implicit Bias Association Test is a valuable tool for nurses and other healthcare providers to learn more about their own implicit bias. This test helps individuals to identify how they may subconsciously associate certain characteristics, qualities, or feelings with certain groups of people. For example, in the fat versus thin test I took, it identified that I have a stronger autonomic response to thin people, and that I associated good words with thin people versus fat people. Because nurses work with a variety of people from different backgrounds, recognizing our own implicit biases can help us provide better care. The Harvard Implicit Bias Association Test provides insight into how we may be influenced by our unconscious beliefs. By learning about our own biases, we can strive to be more aware of our language and behavior, and to ensure all patients receive the same level of respect, care, and consideration regardless of their size or appearance. Thus, this test can serve as a helpful resource for nurses in providing quality healthcare to all.

In terms of accuracy, research has shown that it is generally reliable in understanding our implicit biases (Ruben & Saks, 2020). I may not like the results, but upon reflection it is helpful to realize that I may have an implicit bias in terms of preferring interacting with thin people as opposed to fat people. That is important and helpful to know, and I probably would not have realized it had I not taken this test. But is the test always right? That probably depends. I would say that because the test relies on self-reporting, it is not going to be 100% accurate, as people can change their behavior because they know they are being tested or examined, i.e., the Hawthorne Effect (Berthelot et al., 2019).