why was the blue eye brown eye experiment unethical

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Updates: The Fight Against Racial Injustice

America reckons with racial injustice, we are repeating the discrimination experiment every day, says educator jane elliott.

Rachel Martin

Simone Popperl

Avery Keatley

Emma Bowman

Jane Elliott, an educator and anti-racism activist, first conducted her blue eyes/brown eyes exercise in her third-grade classroom in Iowa in 1968. Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images hide caption

Jane Elliott, an educator and anti-racism activist, first conducted her blue eyes/brown eyes exercise in her third-grade classroom in Iowa in 1968.

The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 prompted educator Jane Elliott to create the now-famous "blue eyes/brown eyes exercise ."

As a school teacher in the small town of Riceville, Iowa, Elliott first conducted the anti-racism experiment on her all-white third-grade classroom, the day after the civil rights leader was killed.

She wanted them to understand what discrimination felt like. Elliott split her students into two groups, based on eye color. She told them that people with brown eyes were superior to those with blue eyes, for reasons she made up. Brown-eyed people, she told the students, are smarter, more civilized and better than blue-eyed people.

More than 50 years after she first tried that exercise in her classroom, Elliott, now 87, said she sees much more work left to do to change racist attitudes. The May 25 killing of George Floyd set off weeks of nationwide protests over the police abuse and racism against black people, plunging the U.S. into a reckoning of racial inequality.

"It's happening every day in this country, right now," she said in an interview with Morning Edition . "We are repeating the blue-eyed/brown-eyed exercise on a daily basis."

When Elliott first conducted the exercise in 1968, brown-eyed students were given special privileges. She said she watched and was horrified at what she saw.

The students started to internalize, and accept, the characteristics they'd been arbitrarily assigned based on the color of their eyes.

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Elliott started to see her own white privilege, even her own ignorance. At her lunch break that day in the teacher's lounge, she told her colleagues about the exercise. One teacher ended up displaying the same bigotry Elliott had spent the morning trying to fight.

"She said, on the day after Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, 'I don't know why you're doing that — I thought it was about time somebody shot that son of a bitch,' " she said. "Not one of them reprimanded her for that or even corrected her. They all either smiled or laughed and nodded."

The interaction only strengthened Elliott's resolve. She decided to continue the exercise with her students after lunch.

"No person of any age [was] going to leave my presence with those attitudes unchallenged," Elliott said.

Two years later, a BBC documentary captured the experiment in Elliott's classroom. The demonstration has since been taught by generations of teachers to millions of kids across the country.

Still, Elliott said the last few years have brought out America's worst racist tendencies. The empathy she works to inspire in students with the experiment, which has been modified over the years, is necessary, she said.

"People of other color groups seem to understand," she said. "Probably because they have been taught how they're treated in this country — that they have to understand us. [White people] on the other hand, don't have to understand them. We have to let people find out how it feels to be on the receiving end of that which we dish out so readily."

But the protests happening now have given her hope.

"Things are changing, and they're going to change rapidly if we're very, very fortunate," she said. "If this ugly change, if this negative change can happen this quickly, why can't positive change happen that quickly? I think it can."

• Martin Luther King Jr
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Dividing by Color: The Impact of the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment by Jane Elliott

By amelia sinclair, this article is divided into the following sections:.

The Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment, conducted by educator Jane Elliott in 1968, profoundly influenced our understanding of prejudice and discrimination. This pioneering exercise aimed to simulate the effects of racism by dividing participants based on an arbitrary characteristic—eye color.

By examining the methodology, findings, and implications of the experiment, we can gain crucial insights into the dynamics of discrimination, the psychology of prejudice, and the power of experiential learning.

Methodology and Design

Jane Elliott designed the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment to demonstrate the arbitrary and irrational nature of racial discrimination. Conducted initially with her third-grade classroom in Riceville, Iowa, the experiment involved dividing the students into two groups based on their eye color: blue-eyed and brown-eyed.

On the first day, Elliott designated the blue-eyed children as superior, granting them privileges and encouraging them to discriminate against the brown-eyed children. The latter were subjected to various forms of mistreatment, such as sitting at the back of the classroom and wearing collars to signify their lower status.

The next day, Elliott reversed the roles, designating the brown-eyed children as superior and the blue-eyed children as inferior. This role reversal allowed all students to experience both sides of discrimination and privilege within a controlled environment. Elliott observed the interactions and behaviors of the children throughout the experiment, noting changes in their attitudes, performance, and self-esteem.

This experimental design allowed Elliott to simulate the effects of systemic racism and explore the impact of arbitrary discrimination on individuals’ behavior and self-perception.

Key Findings

The results of the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment were both revealing and transformative for educational psychology and social justice. Elliott found that the children quickly adopted the prejudiced behaviors associated with their designated status. Those labeled as superior exhibited increased confidence, performed better academically, and engaged in discriminatory behavior towards their peers. Conversely, those labeled as inferior displayed lower self-esteem, poorer academic performance, and heightened anxiety and distress.

These findings highlighted the powerful influence of social conditioning and authority on individuals’ attitudes and behaviors. The experiment demonstrated that even arbitrary distinctions could create deep-seated prejudice and discrimination, leading to significant psychological and emotional consequences. It underscored the idea that discrimination is learned behavior and that societal structures and authority figures play a crucial role in perpetuating biases.

The Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment provided compelling evidence that prejudice and discrimination are deeply embedded in social dynamics and can be easily manipulated through authority and social conditioning. It emphasized the need for critical awareness and education to combat these destructive behaviors.

Psychological Mechanisms and Implications

The experiment illuminated several psychological mechanisms underlying prejudice and discrimination. One key factor is the role of authority and social conditioning, where individuals adopt behaviors and attitudes endorsed by authority figures and societal norms. In the test, Elliott’s authoritative role as a teacher significantly influenced the children’s acceptance and enactment of discriminatory behavior.

Another important mechanism is the concept of in-group and out-group dynamics, where individuals develop strong affiliations with their perceived group while harboring negative attitudes towards those outside the group. In the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment, the arbitrary division based on eye color created a sense of in-group cohesion and out-group hostility, mirroring the dynamics of racial discrimination in broader society.

These insights have profound implications for understanding the dynamics of prejudice and discrimination. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing societal structures and authority figures that perpetuate bias and promoting inclusive and equitable environments. They also highlight the potential for experiential learning to challenge and change discriminatory attitudes and behaviors.

Ethical Considerations

While the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment provided valuable insights into prejudice and discrimination, it also raised ethical considerations related to the potential psychological impact on participants. The experiment involved subjecting children to simulated discrimination and mistreatment, raising concerns about the potential distress and long-term effects of the exercise.

Modern ethical standards prioritize minimizing harm and ensuring the welfare of research participants. Researchers must obtain informed consent, provide thorough debriefing, and ensure that any induced behaviors do not have adverse long-term effects. The ethical considerations surrounding the Blue Eyes Experiment have contributed to the development of stricter guidelines to protect participants while advancing scientific knowledge.

Broader Societal Impact

The insights gained from the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment have significant implications for various fields, including education, social policy, and diversity training. Understanding the dynamics of prejudice and discrimination can inform strategies to promote inclusivity, equity, and social justice.

In education, recognizing the psychological impact of discrimination underscores the need for curricula and teaching methods that challenge biases and promote empathy and understanding. Educators can use this knowledge to create inclusive learning environments that celebrate diversity and foster positive relationships among students.

In social policy, the findings highlight the importance of addressing systemic discrimination and promoting policies that support equality and inclusion. Policymakers can use this knowledge to create initiatives and programs that combat prejudice, promote diversity, and ensure equal opportunities for all individuals.

In diversity training, the insights from the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment emphasize the potential for experiential learning to challenge and change discriminatory attitudes. Organizations can use this knowledge to develop training programs that raise awareness about bias, encourage self-reflection, and promote inclusive behaviors.

Theoretical Contributions

The Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment has made significant contributions to psychological theories, particularly in understanding the impact of social conditioning and authority on prejudice and discrimination. It provided empirical support for the concept of in-group and out-group dynamics and highlighted the role of societal structures in shaping individuals’ attitudes and behaviors.

The research also contributed to the broader discourse on social psychology, emphasizing the importance of creating supportive and inclusive environments that promote equality and challenge discriminatory practices. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying prejudice and discrimination, the Blue Eyes Experiment has informed theoretical frameworks and research on social identity, authority, and the impact of discrimination.

The Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment conducted by Jane Elliott remains a cornerstone in the study of prejudice and discrimination. Through innovative design and rigorous methodology, the experiment revealed the profound psychological and emotional impact of arbitrary discrimination, challenging societal norms and contributing to pivotal social justice efforts.

As we reflect on the legacy of the Blue Eyes Experiment, its lessons continue to resonate in various fields, from education to social policy to diversity training. The research highlights the importance of addressing and challenging discriminatory practices and social conditioning to promote inclusivity and equality. It underscores the significance of thoughtful and ethical approaches to studying and addressing the complexities of prejudice and discrimination.

The enduring relevance of the Blue Eyes Experiment attests to its significance in the ever- evolving field of psychology . Its contributions to our understanding of prejudice and the impact of discrimination provide valuable guidance for creating conditions that promote positive social change and equal opportunities for all individuals. Ultimately, Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment serves as a powerful reminder of the intricate interplay between social dynamics, authority, and discrimination.

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