Family advocates in administrative decision-making: Implicit and explicit attitudes Defensores de familia en la toma de decisiones administrativas: Actitudes implícitas y explícitas

Abstract

The present research evaluated the implicit and explicit attitudes of a sample of family advocates (assigned to the Zonal Centers of the Institute of Family Wellbeing (Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF) in Huila, Colombia)|concerning attributes related to the dimensions of vulnerability or generativity and concepts related to socio-demographic factors of caregivers. This was carried out using an explicit attitudes questionnaire and five Implicit Association Tests (occupation, gender, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and age). The results showed implicit and explicit biases with moderate effects by associating the attributes of generativity and vulnerability with concepts related to occupations, socioeconomic status and sexual orientation, evidencing preferences for professional occupations, heterosexual orientation and high socio-economic status. These findings are discussed around the relationship between implicit cognition and judicial and administrative decision making, as well as the need for training in legal operators about this relationship.