I picked up the link to the Implicit Association Test which I had seen before. If you look at the range of tests that you can do, several of them use the words automatic preference. For example...

"Skin-tone ('Light Skin - Dark Skin' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to recognize light and dark-skinned faces. It often reveals an automatic preference for light-skin relative to dark-skin".
"Weight ('Fat - Thin' IAT). This IAT requires the ability to distinguish faces of people who are obese and people who are thin. It often reveals an automatic preference for thin people relative to fat people".

One of the definitions of 'preference' is..."The right or chance to choose".

If I have a preference for something - for someone - whatever, is that bad? Is it wrong? Does preference equate to bias or discrimination?

I have a preference for Spanish Rioja over French reds (am I discriminating against the French?) - a preference for Liszt over Beethoven (am I being unfair to Germans?).

All very worrying.

Me too, especially, Dr. Brown!

I read the article earlier today, pretty interesting. Find it strange that even after the racist comment was made, people still would choose to partner up with them. But, I'd be interested to see the roles reversed & also have some other races get thrown in the mix. Might be a case where it says more about human nature, not just white people's nature.

I think the 'forecasters' response in the experiment is pretty obvious or what you'd expect at least. But, it makes me wonder how I would have reacted / who I would chose to partner up with, if I had been an 'experiencer' in the experiment. Interesting stuff.