Who Conducted The Doll Experiment, And How Did This Experiment Contribute To The Civil Rights Movement In The United States?

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The Doll Experiment: A Pivotal Moment in the Civil Rights Movement

The doll experiment, conducted by Dr. Kenneth and Mamie Clark in 1947, was a groundbreaking study that shed light on the deep-seated racial biases and prejudices that existed in the United States during the mid-20th century. This experiment played a significant role in the civil rights movement, highlighting the need for desegregation and equal opportunities for African Americans. In this article, we will delve into the history of the doll experiment, its methodology, and its impact on the civil rights movement.

The doll experiment was designed to test the attitudes of African American children towards themselves and their white counterparts. Dr. Kenneth and Mamie Clark, a husband-and-wife team of psychologists, recruited 258 African American children between the ages of 3 and 9 to participate in the study. The children were shown a set of dolls, with one doll representing a white child and the other a black child. The researchers asked the children a series of questions, including:

  • Which doll do you like best?
  • Which doll do you like least?
  • Which doll looks most like you?
  • Which doll looks most like your friend?

The results of the experiment were staggering. A significant majority of the children, 76%, preferred the white doll, while only 22% preferred the black doll. When asked which doll looked most like them, 67% of the children chose the white doll, while only 25% chose the black doll. These findings suggested that the children had internalized the racist attitudes of their society, viewing themselves as inferior to their white counterparts.

The doll experiment was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, highlighting the need for desegregation and equal opportunities for African Americans. The experiment's findings were used as evidence in the landmark Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The experiment's results also informed the development of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

The doll experiment's findings had a profound impact on the civil rights movement, inspiring activists and leaders to take action. The experiment's results were used to challenge the notion of "separate but equal" facilities, which had been used to justify segregation in the United States. The experiment's findings also highlighted the need for education and awareness about the effects of racism on African American children.

  • Dr. Kenneth Clark: A psychologist and educator who, along with his wife Mamie, conducted the doll experiment. Clark was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, serving as a consultant to the NAACP and testifying before the Supreme Court in the Brown v. Board of Education case.
  • Mamie Clark: A psychologist and educator who, along with her husband Kenneth, conducted the doll experiment. Clark was a pioneering figure in the field of child development, and her work on the doll experiment helped to shed light on the effects of racism on African American children.

The doll experiment's legacy extends far beyond its findings. The experiment's results have been used to inform education and social policy, highlighting the need for diversity and inclusion in schools and communities. The experiment's findings have also inspired a new generation of researchers and activists to take up the cause of civil rights and social justice.

The doll experiment, conducted by Dr. Kenneth and Mamie Clark in 1947, was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. The experiment's findings highlighted the need for desegregation and equal opportunities for African Americans, inspiring activists and leaders to take action. The experiment's legacy continues to inform education and social policy, highlighting the need for diversity and inclusion in schools and communities. As we continue to grapple with issues of racism and social justice, the doll experiment remains an important reminder of the need for awareness, education, and action.

  • Clark, K. B., & Clark, M. P. (1947). Racial identification of white and Negro children. In E. E. Maccoby, T. M. Newcomb, & E. L. Hartley (Eds.), Readings in social psychology (pp. 169-176). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
  • Clark, K. B., & Clark, M. P. (1950). Emotional factors in racial identification and preference in Negro children. Journal of Negro Education, 19(3), 341-350.
  • Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964, Pub. L. No. 88-352, 78 Stat. 241 (1964).