IMPLICIT BIAS LA 6771 Research Methods Chris Weathers

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

How might the implicit bias of technology reflect the cultural bias of silicone valley or entire continents? How will implicit bias of a culture effect how AI responds to who should live and who should die in an unavoidable traffic collisions? This questions runs deeper with the consideration of 5 G smart cities.

IMPLICIT BIAS Ø Real and has historically manifested in systemic institutional discrimination based on individual group identity and normative cultural ideology. Ø Collectively, and this goes without saying, we should stand together to defend against racism, ageism, sexism and other forms of discrimination or bigotry

IMPLICIT ASSOCIATION TEST (IAT) Tests claiming an ability to quantify implicit bias Implicit association concept merged in the mid 1990’s In 1995 IAT developed by researchers Harvard Leveraged in an effort to eliminate implicit bias and abolish discriminatory practices through retraining etc. Critics say, IAT falls short of the greater than or equal to the. 8 percent replication rate required to be acceptable as substantiated scientific theory. The mount of variables present in the psyche proves a massive, potentially insurmountable multivariant equation.

CENTRAL QUESTIONS IN THE DEBATE Is it possible to accurately prove or disprove implicit thought and how much of that depends on societal norms/individual intersectionality How far should we allow the institution, or professional disciplines go toward measuring and regulating moral thought Highly political because certain groups perceive implicit bias manifest through systemic discrimination disproportionately, based on geographic location, certain demographics etc.

INDUCTIVE COGNATIVE DISTORTIONS BASED ON IMPLICIT BIAS Men, especially black men, are inherently dangerous and/or violent because stats indicate disproportionate amounts of violent crime The modern western system is an oppressive patriarchal structure The wage gap is manifest male oppression Homosexuality is a mental disorder Psychedelic drugs, like marijuana and MDMA destroy the cultural fabric One parent households are determinantal to proper cognitive development The lists goes on…. the take away is nothing is in life is binary. Especaially social dynamics

Everything can be reduced to higher cognitive processing and individual accountability How society and our technology defines and responds to normative Implicit Bias will continue to be debated

SUMMARY I for one can not support the presuppositions of the IAT, and institutional mind reading, even if it is for a noble aspiration of ending discrimination. Higher thought, growth mindedness and correct action has to be the responsibility of the individual Internalized emotions and visceral responses associated with bias, must be managed by the individual and necessarily develop strength of character It is unclear whether IAT testing can effectively assess or treat implicit bias The implications for technological bias has serious and broad poorly understood implications