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The Clark Doll Experiment

In Brown v. Board of Education , the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court case that resulted in the desegregation of public schools, child psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark provided a unique contribution. For years prior to the case, they had been conducting a simple psychological experiment to explore the detrimental impact of segregation on children of color. Children between the ages of three and seven were shown four dolls that were identical except in color. To test their racial perceptions, the children were asked to identify which doll was “good,” which was “bad,” and which they would prefer to play with. These “doll tests,” later referred to as the Clark Doll Experiment, demonstrated that the majority of children assigned positive qualities to the white dolls and showed preference for them. The important data gleaned from the doll experiments were used as evidence in the Brown v. Board of Education case and, along with the psychologists’ comprehensive analysis, helped sway the outcome. According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Supreme Court’s official ruling was influenced by one of Kenneth Clark’s papers. The ruling stated that “to separate [children of color] from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely to be undone.”

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Forensic Psychology