The implicit association test as a general measure of similarity.
The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is widely used as a measure of semantic similarity (i.e., associations in semantic memory). The results of previous research and of a new study show that IAT effects can, however, also be based on other types of similarity between stimuli. We therefore put forward the hypothesis that the IAT provides a general measure of similarity. Given that similarity is highly dynamic and context-dependent, our view that the IAT measures similarity is compatible with existing evidence showing that IAT effects are highly malleable. We provide further evidence for this in a new study in which the outcome of an IAT depended on whether the perceptual or functional characteristics of the stimuli were made salient.
De Houwer
Jan
J
Department of Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium. Jan.DeHouwer@UGent.be
Geldof
Tanja
T
De Bruycker
Els
E
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001244:Association; D006801:Humans; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011930:Reaction Time; D012660:Semantics; D014936:Word Association Tests