ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses two techniques for indirectly measuring cognitions: The implicit association test (IAT) and the implicit relational assessment procedure (IRAP). Implicit measures are not only useful when explicit measures might be distorted by social desirability issues, but should be used in complement with explicit measures to assess different aspects of attitudes, preferences, and personality. The IAT works by measuring differences in the speed with which participants sort stimuli in various pairing combinations, such as “Marlboro” paired with the word “bad” versus “Marlboro” paired with the word “good.” However, the IRAP differs from the IAT in terms of the data it produces and the theoretical basis for the procedure. Mastery criteria are set prior to IRAP administration and evaluated during completion of practice blocks for each participant. IRAP D-scores can then be used in statistical models to examine relations among the biases and explicit behavioral measures, such as diet and weight.
