3 Examining racial bias in children
Over the years, researchers have used various methods to explore how children identify with social groups. One well-known study by Clark and Clark (1947) presented children with either an actual doll or a picture of a doll and asked them to point to the doll or picture as their answer.
The questions ranged from ‘which doll is Black?’ and ‘which doll is white?’ to ‘which doll looks most like you?’ or ‘which doll is naughty?’ This study was used to highlight the existence of pro-white bias within children, including Black children, of various ages.
These studies have been replicated many times. Between 1939 and 1977, more than 30 studies were conducted using this procedure and its variations (Byrd, 2012, p. 8).
Activity 3 Watching the doll studies
In the following video, you’ll see a live recording of a doll study experiment. While watching it, please be conscious of how you are reacting and what you are feeling.
Some viewers may find the child’s responses concerning or upsetting. This is a normal reaction to seeing how racial bias can affect young children’s self-perception.
Doll test - the effects of racism on children [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]
Task 1 Initial emotional response
1. What was your immediate emotional reaction while watching this video?
- Consider feelings like discomfort, sadness, anger, surprise, confusion or concern.
- Note any physical reactions you experienced (tension, stomach feelings, etc.).
Discussion
Many people feel uncomfortable, sad, or even shocked when watching doll studies. Some experience anger at the societal conditions that create these responses in children. Others feel surprised that such young children have already internalised racial preferences. All of these reactions are normal and understandable.
2. Which specific moments in the video triggered the strongest reactions for you?
- Was it particular questions asked? The child’s responses? Something else?
Discussion
Many people find the questions about which doll is ‘bad’ or ‘naughty’ particularly difficult to watch. Others are most affected by moments when children choose the white doll as ‘nice’ or ‘good’. The child’s facial expressions and body language often trigger strong emotional responses in viewers.
Task 2 Understanding your response
1. Why do you think you reacted this way?
- What aspects of your own background, experiences or beliefs might have influenced your response?
- Have you witnessed similar situations with children before?
Discussion
Your reaction may reflect your own racial background; people from minoritised backgrounds might feel personal connection or past pain, while other viewers might experience guilt or discomfort about privilege. Your professional experience with children, your own childhood memories, or your beliefs about protecting children’s innocence can all influence your response.
2. How might your emotional reaction affect your ability to support children discussing race?
Discussion
Your response to this question will be deeply personal and influenced by your own racial background, professional experience and comfort level with discussing race. There’s no single ‘correct’ way to feel about managing emotions in these situations; what matters is developing self-awareness about your own patterns and needs.
Task 3 Professional application
1. If a child in your care made similar statements about racial preferences, how would you respond?
- What would you say or do in the moment?
- How would you follow up afterwards?
Discussion
Your response will be unique. Your approach to this scenario will depend on your role (parent, teacher, carer), your relationship with the child, your own comfort level with race discussions, and your professional training. Some may feel confident to address it immediately, others may need time to plan their response. Both approaches can be valid depending on your circumstances.
2. What does this video tell you about the importance of addressing race with young children?
- How has it changed or reinforced your understanding of children’s racial awareness?
Discussion
You may have realised that children are already thinking about race much earlier than they expected. The video often reinforces that avoiding conversations about race doesn’t protect children, instead, it leaves them to make sense of racial differences without adult guidance. This can strengthen the case for proactive, age-appropriate discussions about diversity and racial identity.
While Clark and Clark’s 1947 study has been incredibly useful and influential in showing how children develop racial preferences, there are some important things to consider about how the research was done.
The study has shown very similar results in many different places and times. Between 1939 and 1977, more than 30 studies using this method were conducted, and researchers have found similar patterns when they repeated the studies in different countries and across different decades (Byrd, 2012). This consistency suggests the findings show real patterns in how children respond to racial categories.
There are some things to keep in mind about how the research was conducted. The study made children choose between only two options, which might not be the best way to interview children (Peterson and Grant, 2001). The research environment may also have made children uncomfortable. Additionally, the original study only used Black and white dolls, which doesn’t represent the full range of diversity children see today.
Despite these limitations, the studies remain important because they consistently show that children are not ‘colour blind’. Instead, they show how children pick up messages about race from their social environment, either family, media, school or community, often developing preferences that reflect what they see and hear around them. The research shows that these social influences begin shaping children’s understanding of race much earlier than many adults realise.
Given the criticisms, more recent research has tried to address these shortcomings. It’s important to remember that when children show patterns in their responses, they are reflecting what they have learned from society rather than expressing natural preferences. These studies help us understand how children absorb and reflect societal messages about race.
For example, some studies have used digital characters with a wider range of skin tones and still found that Black children often had negative views about their own skin tone, even when they weren’t forced to choose between options (Jordan and Hernandez-Reif, 2009). Another study by MacNevin and Berman (2017) observed children playing with dolls in a more natural preschool setting. Despite the more comfortable environment, children still reflected pro-white bias, often rejecting Black dolls and assigning negative roles to dark-skinned figurines.
Watching how young children play can provide valuable insights into their thoughts and feelings (Vygotsky, 1978). In a more recent study, Sturdivant and Alanis (2021) observed two four-year-old Black girls in a classroom set up with racially diverse dolls. The girls consistently chose non-Black dolls to play with, sometimes mistreating the Black dolls. For instance, one girl avoided styling the Black doll’s hair, saying it was ‘too big’, while the other pretended to cook the Black doll in a pot.
This sheds light on the complex ways young children understand and enact race. The researchers concluded that these girls’ actions reveal how they had internalised societal messages favouring white and Latina dolls. This highlights that young children are not only aware of race but are also being affected by racism. This study underlines the importance of helping children develop a positive racial identity.
In the next section, you’ll explore how to talk to young children about race. Understanding how racial identity and biases form is only the first step; the next challenge is figuring out how to engage young minds in meaningful conversations about race, helping them to navigate and challenge the biases they may already be encountering in their world.