Welcome to Project Implicit!

Project Implicit is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit and an international network of researchers studying implicit cognition — the fast, automatic processes that influence perception, interpretation, and judgment. For more than 25 years, our work has helped millions of people better understand how human thinking operates, often outside of conscious awareness.

Today, we apply that same body of research to support organizations seeking clearer understanding of judgment under real-world conditions such as time pressure, uncertainty, and cognitive load. Through education programs, research tools, and ongoing learning resources, Project Implicit provides shared language and evidence-based insight into how decisions take shape — with careful attention to interpretation, limits, and responsible use of the science.

Keep Public Science Public

Millions of people use Project Implicit each year, including students, educators, journalists, researchers, and policymakers. Our website is open to anyone interested in understanding how human judgment works, and our research tools are freely accessible to the public.

This work is possible because individuals choose to support it. Small donations help keep the tests available at no cost and ensure that the data and research infrastructure remain open and responsibly maintained.

If Project Implicit has been useful to you—whether you’ve taken a test, shared our materials, taught with them, or cited our research—you are already part of the community that sustains this public resource.

Project Implicit operates largely on individual contributions. If you’re able, we invite you to consider a $5 donation to help keep the site running, the tools accessible, and the science public. Broad participation, even at a modest level, helps ensure this resource remains available to those who rely on it.

What is implicit bias?

Implicit bias refers to the automatic associations and mental shortcuts that shape perception and judgment outside of conscious awareness. These patterns develop through experience and exposure, and they influence how people interpret information, evaluate situations, and respond under conditions like time pressure or uncertainty.

Often described using the iceberg metaphor, implicit bias represents the portion of cognition that operates beneath conscious intention. Understanding these processes helps clarify why people can hold explicit values while still arriving at judgments that surprise them, and why decision-making can feel inconsistent across contexts.

Project Implicit’s research focuses on making these hidden cognitive patterns more visible, so they can be understood, studied, and interpreted responsibly.

An iceberg with a small portion above the water and a massive portion below the water.

Join the Research Pool

Participate in ongoing research on judgment and decision-making conducted by Project Implicit and its network of researchers. Participation is free, typically takes less than 10 minutes, and contributes to scientific study of the automatic cognitive processes that influence perception and evaluation.

Programs for Leaders

We deliver virtual and on-site educational sessions designed to support leaders’ understanding of how cognitive processes influence judgment and decision-making in organizational settings. Drawing on decades of psychological research, these programs examine how attention, interpretation, context, and cognitive load shape everyday thinking — particularly under conditions of pressure or uncertainty.

Research Partnerships

Work with Project Implicit to design custom online studies using the Implicit Association Test and other behavioral science methods. Studies are hosted on a secure platform and distributed via private links, allowing for reliable data collection across a range of research contexts. The focus is on rigorous measurement and ethical use of behavioral data, rather than evaluation of individuals or organizational performance.

Support Research on Human Judgment

By sponsoring Project Implicit, organizations help sustain independent research and education focused on implicit cognition, judgment, and interpretation. Sponsorship supports the development of research tools, educational programming, and public resources that advance understanding of how attention, context, and cognitive processes shape decision-making.

Sponsors receive:

  • Early access to new research briefings and educational offerings
  • Invitations to sponsor-only briefings and discussions with researchers
  • Recognition as a supporter of independent science research

Partnering with Project Implicit is a way to support rigorous inquiry and responsible use of applied science.

A hand holding a card that says "Sponsor Project Implicit" in front of a small stack of books.