When Measures Disagree: Evidence from the First-Person Shooter Task and Implicit Association Test

Implicit bias is commonly assessed using a range of behavioral and cognitive measures; however, the extent to which these instruments capture the same underlying construct remains unclear. This study examined the relationship between the First-Person Shooter Task (FPST) and a Race-Weapon Implicit Association Test (RW-IAT) to evaluate convergence between two widely used measures of implicit bias. Participants completed both tasks in a controlled laboratory setting. Results replicated established patterns of shooter bias in the FPST; however, no significant relationship emerged between FPST performance and RW-IAT categorizations. These findings suggest that commonly used measures of implicit bias may not reflect a single, unified construct. The study raises important questions about construct validity and highlights the need for greater precision in measuring and interpreting implicit bias across research contexts.