Implications of Doll Color Preferences among Black Preschool Children and White Preschool Children

Abstract

Years after the "Black is beautiful" movement there remains a preference for white among Black and White preschool children. Black children have learned to reject their ethnic group as a consequence of pervasive negative stereotypes promoted by the media, teachers, parents, and the broader society. This article examined implications of previous research in 1985, which employed the Clark doll test (Clark & Clark, 1940), with the addition of a treatment intervention including learning principles of modeling, reinforcement, and color meaning word associations (Powell-Hopson, 1985). It was demonstrated that racial preferences among children could be changed at least temporarily. Pretest percentages showed that a majority of Black and White preschoolers chose a white doll when asked preference questions. In contrast, intervention posttest measurement revealed a significant percentage of preschoolers chose a black doll. We as scientists and clinicians have the tools to foster development of healthy positive self-images in youth, in particular Black children.