The Doll Experiment

The Doll Experiment, conducted by psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark in the 1940s, explored racial bias in children. They presented Black and White dolls to children and asked them to choose which doll they preferred and which they thought was nicer. The majority of the Black children preferred the White doll, indicating a preference influenced by societal racism. The study revealed the internalized perceptions of race among children and highlighted the damaging effects of segregation and discrimination, ultimately contributing to the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, which declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.