The results from my completion of Project Implicit Social Attitudes quiz stated that I have an inherent inclination towards caucasians. The way in which it collected and evaluated data was based on a series of images presented of people with caucasian/African heritage. Two images of an individual of either race were presented at one time, and the participant had to select one of the two images. While at first it demands the participant to consider their conscious motivations for selecting a particular image, as the survey progresses and further extensions added to the method of selecting, it forced the subconscious to take over, hence determining a more genuine representation of the inherent racial inclinations we may have. There are both strengths and weaknesses to this method of collecting data. One important issue relating to collecting data regarding human disposition and behaviour that it attempts to overcome is the consciousness of circumstance and obligations within it that affects the sincerity of our response. In making the questions repetitive and adding extra complications to the method of selection that force us to do so quickly and with less thought, it eliminates to a certain extent the illusion of our social presentation. However a major weakness in this process is the fact that it fails to account for mistaken clicks, which could cumulatively affect the inclination of the result.
However, there is a major flaw to the nature of this quiz in that it suggests that based on our inclination to select people repeatedly of the same race, the participant must have a preference towards a certain race or just be inherently racist. And while it is so easy to measure all the factors that can potentially make us racist or sexist, the most important thing that must be acknowledged (and this quiz fails to do so) is the matter of intent. I personally do not feel that I am a racist, or have any inclination towards caucasian people. In my opinion, I simply happened to choose more caucasian than ethnically African people out of the particular group of images I was presented, and the result could have potentially been completely different had I been presented with different images. In the same way, if somebody asked me who my favorite actor/actress was and I happened to say a male actor, does not necessarily mean I am sexist. I just happened to have more appeal towards a particular individual out of a set group of individuals who happened to be a male. But the most important thing in all of this is the idea that if I do not think that I am a racist, I cannot be told that I am a racist. If somebody does not feel any instilled prejudice towards a certain group, all of their preferences become simply a matter of circumstance. Therefore this raises the question: Are social prejudices a relative belief or an absolute truth?
