Hraba

Hraba and Grant (1970) Black dolls and White dolls n Black IS beautiful n A re-examination of racial preference and identification

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

Some background…. n n Clark & Clark found that Black children n n 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

Some background…. n n The Clark & Clark findings suggested that Black children had negative attitudes towards themselves and their cultural background n n The Clark & Clark study was replicated over a 20 year period with similar results

Hraba and Grant - Black is beautiful n THE TOPIC n n Racial identification, self awareness and preference in Black-American children

Hraba and Grant - Black is beautiful n n THE QUESTION n n Do Black-American children demonstrate Black racial preference and racial self identification?

Hraba and Grant - Black is beautiful n KEY TERMS n n civil rights n n ethnocentrism n n identity n n race & racism n n role model n n segregation

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n What Hraba & Grant did n They replicated the Clark & Clark study & procedures as much as possible

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The participants n 160 children aged between 4 and 8 n All attended primary schools in Lincoln Nebraska, USA n 89 were Black and 71 were White

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The ethnicity of the population of the town of Lincoln n 1.4% of population were Black n In the 5 schools used in the study n 3%, 3%, 3%, 7%, 18% were Black n 70% of Black child Ps had White friends

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The procedure n Children interviewed individually using a set of four dolls n Two Black dolls and two White dolls n They were identical except for colour

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Each child was asked these 8 questions n Give me the doll that you want to play with n Give me the doll that is a nice doll n Give me the doll that looks bad n Give me the doll that is a nice colour n Give me the doll that looks like a White child n Give me the doll that looks like a coloured child n Give me the doll that looks like a Negro child n Give me the doll that looks like you

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n These four questions were to measure RACIAL PREFERENCE n Give me the doll that you want to play with n Give me the doll that is a nice doll n Give me the doll that looks bad n Give me the doll that is a nice colour

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n These three questions were to measure racial awareness or knowledge n Give me the doll that looks like a White child n Give me the doll that looks like a coloured child n Give me the doll that looks like a Negro child

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n This question measured n RACIAL self-identification n Give me the doll that looks like you

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The results n Give me the doll that you want to play with n 83% white Ps chose White doll n 70% Black Ps chose Black doll

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The results n Give me the doll that is a NICE doll n 70% White Ps chose White doll n 54% Black Ps chose Black doll

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The results n Give me the doll that looks bad n 34% White Ps chose White doll n 36% Black Ps chose Black doll

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The results n Give me the doll that is a nice colour n 48% White Ps chose White doll n 69% Black Ps chose Black doll

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The results n Both Black and White children preferred dolls of their own race n White Ps were more ethnocentric on questions 1 and 2, but there was no difference on question 3

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The results n Clark & Clark found that Black children at all ages preferred White dolls n Hraba and Grant found that Black children at all ages preferred Black dolls and this preference increased with age

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Categorisation of Ps u C & C and H & G n light (practically white) n medium (light brown to dark brown) n dark (dark brown to black)

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Clark & Clark found that the light children showed greatest preference for White dolls, and the dark children the least preference n Hraba and Grant found no such trend

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n For questions 5 to 8 n Children made FEW errors of racial identification n Race of the interviewer had no effect on choices of either W or B children

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n There was no relationship between choice of doll and the race of the respondents friends n 23 black children answered questions 1 to 4 preferring the black doll; 20 of these had white friends n 20 white children answered preferring the white doll; 12 had black friends

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Conclusion n Great change between 1939 and 1969 n Black people more proud of their race in 1969 than in 1939

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Conclusion n Great change between 1939 and 1969 n The growth of organisations in the Black community may have enhanced Black pride

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Conclusion n Great change between 1939 and 1969 n Inter racial contact might create Black pride

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n But Clark & Clark did not perform their study in Lincoln Nebraska n Perhaps Black children in Lincoln, unlike other cities, may have chosen Black dolls in 1939?

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Discussion point n Can childrens preferences for dolls tell us anything about their racial identity?

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Discussion point n Given the ages of the children - what factor might have affected their answers n [Think about Samuel & Bryant]

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n The H & G replication shows us that social psychological findings are inevitably the product of a particular point in history n and how important it is to review the findings of classic studies

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n n The findings suggest that there had been a change in the consciousness of black children over the 20 year period

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n THE TOPIC n n Racial identification, self awareness and preference in Black-American children n n THE QUESTION n n Do Black-American children demonstrate Black racial preference and racial self identification

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Social history of USA in 1960s n The Civil Rights movement n Martin Luther King n Militant Black leadership n Desegregation of schools and colleges

Hraba and Grant - Black IS beautiful n Methodology? n Ethical Issues? n Ethnocentrism? n Links with other studies?

Hraba and Grant - Black IS Beautiful the end the end