Blink #1

Chapter Three: The Warren Harding Error
1. Describe how Warren Harding rose through the Republican Party to become President in 1920.
Harding was a man who got by on his looks, which happened to be very good and get him elected for things simply because he LOOKED like a good representative; "he grew more and more irresistibly distinguished-looking."(27) Through these good looks, the urging of his wife, Florence, and the stage managing of ("scheming") Harry Daugherty "He advanced steadily from local Ohio politics"(27).
2. Why does the author believe that people were in error in promoting Harding to higher office?
"Harding was not a particularly intelligent man. He liked to play poker and golf and to drink, and, most of all, to chase women."(27) Warren Harding was not quite the well-abled gentleman that he "looked" to be... It is probably not such a good idea to elect him to a higher office in running your country. And, he turned out to be one of the worst presidents of America.
3. What was the point of the “Implicit Association Test (IAT)?”
The point of the test is to show us that "We make connections much more quickly between pairs of ideas that are already related in our minds than we do between pairs of ideas that are unfamiliar to us."(29) It shows us our automatic, subconscious preferences and prejudice by administering a few simple tests of placing words and pictures into categories.
4. What are the advantages to completing the IAT on computer?  Why does Gladwell believe the IAT has become “so popular in recent years?”
The computer can measure our time of response down to the millisecond, magnifying our tendency to take longer to associate things we are not familiar with.
Gladwell claims this test has become very popular because it "hits you over the head with its conclusions" and "the effects it is measuring are not subtle"(30). This test clearly demonstrates the effetcs of prior associations in our minds and our ability/speed to overcome them.