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    Using behavior-analytic implicit tests to assess sexual interests among normal and sex-offender populations


    Roche, Bryan and O'Reilly, Anthony and Gavin, Amanda and Ruiz, Maria R. and Arancibia, Gabriela (2012) Using behavior-analytic implicit tests to assess sexual interests among normal and sex-offender populations. Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology, 2 (17335). ISSN 2000-9011

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    Abstract

    Background: The development of implicit tests for measuring biases and behavioral predispositions is a recent development within psychology. While such tests are usually researched within a social-cognitive paradigm, behavioral researchers have also begun to view these tests as potential tests of conditioning histories, including in the sexual domain. Objective: The objective of this paper is to illustrate the utility of a behavioral approach to implicit testing and means by which implicit tests can be built to the standards of behavioral psychologists. Design: Research findings illustrating the short history of implicit testing within the experimental analysis of behavior are reviewed. Relevant parallel and overlapping research findings from the field of social cognition and on the Implicit Association Test are also outlined. Results: New preliminary data obtained with both normal and sex offender populations are described in order to illustrate how behavior-analytically conceived implicit tests may have potential as investigative tools for assessing histories of sexual arousal conditioning and derived stimulus associations. Conclusion: It is concluded that popular implicit tests are likely sensitive to conditioned and derived stimulus associations in the history of the test-taker rather than ‘unconscious cognitions’, per se.

    Item Type: Article
    Additional Information: Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology 2012.©2012 Bryan Roche et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), permitting all non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Citation: Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology 2012, 2: 17335 - DOI: 10.3402/snp.v2i0.17335
    Keywords: implicit association test; function acquisition speed test; relational frame theory; stimulus equivalence; sex offenders; sexual interests;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
    Item ID: 6816
    Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.3402/snp.v2i0.17335
    Depositing User: Dr. Bryan Roche
    Date Deposited: 15 Jan 2016 11:46
    Journal or Publication Title: Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology
    Publisher: Co-Action Publishing
    Refereed: Yes
    URI:
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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