Testing the Validity of the Mixed Trial Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (MT-IRAP): Determining the Relationship Between Prosocial Attitudes and Behavior

Abstract

The Mixed Trial Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (MT-IRAP) is a new tool that has shown promise for assessing and measuring the implicit attitudes of individuals in applied research. However, little research has been done with this new assessment tool, particularly in regard to its predictive validity. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between explicit, implicit, and overt measures of prosocial attitudes, using the MT-IRAP. The MT-IRAP was tested with 56 undergraduate students using prosocial words. The prosocial words were derived from inventories commonly used to assess individuals' attitudes toward helping others, charitable organizations and volunteerism. In addition, the relative antonyms of these words were used as an antisocial word set for the MT-IRAP test. Results revealed relationships between MT-IRAP effects and self-reported volunteer histories and community/citizenship values. No relationship was found between the MT-IRAP effects and the overt behavioral measure, though suggestions for future studies investigating the predictive validity of the MT-IRAP are proposed. Additionally, refinements to the assessment tool including the relationship between error rate, implicit and overt measures, as well as the method of determining consistency and depicting valence of individual participant responses are discussed.