A Doll Study

Anderson Cooper, a CNN Journalist, covered a feature story based off a study authored by Dr. Kenneth B. Clark. This study was done in the 1940’s and Anderson wanted to redo the infamous doll test, but this time he used pictures instead of dolls. The doll test was about race in America and unfortunately as a result, not much has changed regarding perceptions of self and others even being some sixty years later. The new study proved that both black and white children have a bias in favor of light skin color.

"Among the dozens of Black and White children tested in this new study, a significant majority identified Whiteness with likability, success, intelligence and good behavior, while identifying Blackness with non-likability, failure, a lack of intelligence and bad behavior."

This is interesting to me to see that these little kids are already conforming. My purpose of this blog is to get to the bottom of this brain washing. One probable cause could be that of "white supremacy." It has become so deeply ingrained it has become a virtually involuntary reflex. Blacks and other people of color eventually conformed to the established order, and defined themselves through the prism of European culture; the present symbiosis between white supremacy and black inferiority was sealed in the West.  Solving the problems of supremacy and inferiority will require a renewed effort among whites and blacks alike to confront the legacy of America's ugly history. (Muhammad, William P. 2010)

Interestingly enough the study was redone in 2009, when Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States as while Michelle Obama became the First lady in history. The experiment was slightly changed up a bit. The children this time had the option of saying neither and/or both. I wanted to make notice, since this is a beauty blog, that 47% of the little black girls said that the white doll was the prettier than the black doll.

 My only explanation for this is that mass media has a great effect on its consumers. It also goes back to the parents. Parents need to instill values in there households of equality. This may be hard for some minorities because they are mass marketed by a Caucasian dominated society. When you look on advertisement whether it is on television or magazines, the masses of the people that are seen are Caucasian. There needs to be an equal balance to show there are different races and that beauty comes in all shades and sizes. We need more love and less hate.