Exploring Racial Bias in a European Country with a Recent History of Immigration of Black Africans

The present study examined levels of racial bias among black and white individuals residing in Ireland using the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) and a range of questionnaire measures. The IRAP required participants to respond quickly and accurately on a computer-based task. On some blocks of trials participants were required to respond in a pro-white and anti-black manner, whereas on other blocks responding in the opposite direction was required (anti-white/pro-black). The difference in response latencies between these two types of trials provided an index of racial bias. Performance on the IRAP (i) revealed in-group/out-group bias for the white but not the black participants; (ii) substantively increased the predictive validity of a range of questionnaire-based measures; and (iii) provided the best prediction of racial group. The results support the utility of the IRAP as a measure of racial bias, and indicate that this bias differed between black and white Irish residents.