Final answer:
The pairing of Black and White faces with pleasant or unpleasant words typically refers to the Implicit Association Test (IAT), a psychological tool used to measure implicit biases and attitudes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When respondents are asked to pair Black and White faces with pleasant or unpleasant words, this is probably a reference to a psychological tool known as the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The IAT is designed to detect the strength of a person's automatic association between mental representations of objects in memory. The pairing of faces and words in this context is used to measure implicit biases and attitudes that respondents may not be consciously aware of or may not want to disclose.
In the case of pairing Black and White faces with pleasant or unpleasant words, the test is specifically assessing racial attitudes or stereotypes. A faster association of one race with pleasant words compared to another, or an association of one race with unpleasant words, can indicate an implicit bias. However, it's important to note that the interpretation of IAT results is a subject of ongoing research and debate within the psychological community.