hraba. hraba and grant (1970) black dolls and white dolls n black is beautiful n a re-examination of...

HrabaHraba

Hraba and Grant (1970) Black dolls and White dolls Hraba and Grant (1970) Black dolls and White dolls

Black IS beautifulBlack IS beautiful

A re-examination of racial A re-examination of racial preference and identificationpreference and identification

Some background….Some background….

This study replicates a classic study by Clark & Clark (1939) where children were asked to choose between black and white dolls


Clark & Clark found that Black children

preferred White dolls and rejected Black dolls when asked to choose which were NICE, which looked BAD, which they would LIKE to play with and which were a nice colour


The Clark & Clark findings suggested that Black children had negative attitudes towards themselves and their cultural background

The Clark & Clark study was replicated over a 20 year period with similar results

Hraba and Grant - Black is beautifulHraba and Grant - Black is beautiful

THE TOPIC THE TOPIC Racial identification, self awareness

and preference in Black-American children


THE QUESTION Do Black-American children

demonstrate ‘Black’ racial preference and racial self identification?


KEY TERMSKEY TERMS civil rights ethnocentrism identity race & racism role model segregation

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautifulHraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful

What Hraba & Grant didWhat Hraba & Grant did

They replicated the Clark & Clark study They replicated the Clark & Clark study & procedures as much as possible& procedures as much as possible


The participantsThe participants 160 children aged between 4 and 8160 children aged between 4 and 8

All attended primary schools in Lincoln All attended primary schools in Lincoln Nebraska, USANebraska, USA

89 were Black and 71 were White89 were Black and 71 were White


The ethnicity of the population of the town The ethnicity of the population of the town of Lincolnof Lincoln

1.4% of population were Black1.4% of population were Black In the 5 schools used in the studyIn the 5 schools used in the study 3%, 3%, 3%, 7%, 18% were Black3%, 3%, 3%, 7%, 18% were Black

70% of Black child Ps had White friends70% of Black child Ps had White friends


The procedureThe procedure

Children interviewed individually using Children interviewed individually using a set of four dollsa set of four dolls

Two Black dolls and two White dollsTwo Black dolls and two White dolls They were identical except for colourThey were identical except for colour


Each child was asked these 8 questionsEach child was asked these 8 questions Give me the doll that you want to play withGive me the doll that you want to play with Give me the doll that is a nice dollGive me the doll that is a nice doll Give me the doll that looks badGive me the doll that looks bad Give me the doll that is a nice colourGive me the doll that is a nice colour Give me the doll that looks like a White childGive me the doll that looks like a White child Give me the doll that looks like a coloured childGive me the doll that looks like a coloured child

Give me the doll that looks like a Negro childGive me the doll that looks like a Negro child Give me the doll that looks like youGive me the doll that looks like you


These four questions were to These four questions were to measure RACIAL PREFERENCEmeasure RACIAL PREFERENCE

Give me the doll that you want to play withGive me the doll that you want to play with Give me the doll that is a nice dollGive me the doll that is a nice doll Give me the doll that looks badGive me the doll that looks bad Give me the doll that is a nice colourGive me the doll that is a nice colour


These three questions were to These three questions were to measure racial awareness or measure racial awareness or knowledgeknowledge

Give me the doll that looks like a White childGive me the doll that looks like a White child Give me the doll that looks like a coloured childGive me the doll that looks like a coloured child

Give me the doll that looks like a Negro childGive me the doll that looks like a Negro child


This question measured This question measured RACIAL self-identificationRACIAL self-identification

Give me the doll that looks like youGive me the doll that looks like you


The resultsThe results Give me the doll that you want to play withGive me the doll that you want to play with

83% white Ps chose White doll83% white Ps chose White doll 70% Black Ps chose Black doll70% Black Ps chose Black doll


The resultsThe results Give me the doll that is a NICE dollGive me the doll that is a NICE doll

70% White Ps chose White doll70% White Ps chose White doll 54% Black Ps chose Black doll54% Black Ps chose Black doll


The resultsThe results Give me the doll that looks badGive me the doll that looks bad



The resultsThe results Give me the doll that is a nice colourGive me the doll that is a nice colour



The resultsThe results Both Black and White children Both Black and White children

preferred dolls of their own racepreferred dolls of their own race

White Ps were more ethnocentric on White Ps were more ethnocentric on questions 1 and 2, but there was no questions 1 and 2, but there was no difference on question 3difference on question 3


The resultsThe results Clark & Clark found that Black children at Clark & Clark found that Black children at

all ages preferred White dollsall ages preferred White dolls

Hraba and Grant found that Black Hraba and Grant found that Black children at all ages preferred Black children at all ages preferred Black dolls and this preference increased dolls and this preference increased with agewith age


Categorisation of PsCategorisation of Ps C & C and H & GC & C and H & G

light light (practically white)(practically white) medium medium (light brown to dark brown)(light brown to dark brown)

dark dark (dark brown to black)(dark brown to black)


Clark & Clark found that the light Clark & Clark found that the light children showed greatest children showed greatest preference for White dolls, and the preference for White dolls, and the dark children the least preferencedark children the least preference

Hraba and Grant found no such Hraba and Grant found no such trendtrend


For questions 5 to 8For questions 5 to 8

Children made FEW errors of Children made FEW errors of racial identificationracial identification

Race of the interviewer had no effect Race of the interviewer had no effect on choices of either W or B childrenon choices of either W or B children


There was no relationship between There was no relationship between choice of doll and the race of the choice of doll and the race of the respondent’s friendsrespondent’s friends

23 black children answered questions 23 black children answered questions 1 to 4 preferring the black doll; 20 of 1 to 4 preferring the black doll; 20 of these had white friendsthese had white friends

20 white children answered preferring 20 white children answered preferring the white doll; 12 had black friendsthe white doll; 12 had black friends


ConclusionConclusion Great change between 1939 and 1969Great change between 1939 and 1969

Black people more proud of their Black people more proud of their race in 1969 than in 1939race in 1969 than in 1939



The growth of organisations in the The growth of organisations in the Black community may have Black community may have enhanced Black prideenhanced Black pride



Inter racial contact might create Inter racial contact might create Black prideBlack pride


But Clark & Clark did not perform But Clark & Clark did not perform their study in Lincoln Nebraskatheir study in Lincoln Nebraska

Perhaps Black children in Lincoln, Perhaps Black children in Lincoln, unlike other cities, may have unlike other cities, may have chosen Black dolls in 1939?chosen Black dolls in 1939?


Discussion pointDiscussion point Can children’s preferences for Can children’s preferences for

dolls tell us anything about their dolls tell us anything about their racial identity?racial identity?


Discussion pointDiscussion point Given the ages of the children - Given the ages of the children -

what factor might have affected what factor might have affected their answerstheir answers

[Think about Samuel & Bryant][Think about Samuel & Bryant]


The H & G replication shows us that The H & G replication shows us that social psychological findings are social psychological findings are inevitably the product of a particular inevitably the product of a particular point in historypoint in history

and how important it is to review the and how important it is to review the findings of classic studiesfindings of classic studies


The findings suggest that there had been a change in the consciousness of black children over the 20 year period


THE TOPICTHE TOPIC Racial identification, self awareness and

preference in Black-American children

THE QUESTION Do Black-American children demonstrate

‘Black’ racial preference and racial self identification


Social history of USA in 1960sSocial history of USA in 1960s

The Civil Rights movementThe Civil Rights movement Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King Militant Black leadershipMilitant Black leadership Desegregation of schools and collegesDesegregation of schools and colleges


Methodology?Methodology?

Ethical Issues?Ethical Issues?

Ethnocentrism?Ethnocentrism?

Links with other studies?Links with other studies?

Hraba and Grant - Black IS BeautifulHraba and Grant - Black IS Beautiful

the endthe end

hraba. hraba and grant (1970) black dolls and white dolls n black is beautiful n a re-examination of...

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