Comparing Implicit and Self-Report Measures of Skin Color in African Context.

Body image researchers, who are focused on Africa, have largely depended on measures adapted from European and/or American studies, which may inadequately capture the experiences of Black African women. Moreover, these measures are overwhelmingly focused on self-report. Given the high rates of harmful skin modification practices across the continent (e.g., skin bleaching), there is a need for more sensitive, culturally responsive measurements. We examine whether and how an implicit measure of skin color preference may uniquely assess skin color preferences among Black African women. To this end, Black African women, primarily from South Africa (N = 221), were recruited online and responded to a survey, which included measures of skin color satisfaction and the Skin Implicit Association Test (Skin IAT). Findings revealed that the implicit measure identified more Black African women with lighter skin tone preferences than identified by the self-report measures. Participants uniquely identified by the implicit measure were relatively younger and higher educated, but this finding was not statistically significant. Notably, we found support for divergence between self-report and implicit measures, suggesting that they assess distinct constructs. Implications for future research in African contexts are discussed.