The Perception of Dignity: A Replication of the Historic Doll Study

Abstract

This grant proposal aims to examine self-concept in children ages five through seven. This study is projected to be a close replication of the original Doll Study conducted by Kenneth and Mamie Clark (1947). The Doll Study was an instrumental analysis that was largely used in the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education. This Supreme Court case served as a catalyst for the end of race-based segregation. The intention of this proposition is meant to gather, analyze, and interpret quantitative data of parameters similar to those evaluated in the classical Doll Study with the purpose of understanding the impact of race-based integration upon children today. The data will be used to examine the racial preferences and attitudes amongst young children of various ethnicities. In addition to this research study, the literature review will investigate factors such as historical trauma, social constructs, basic demographics, and economics to further synthesize and understand the results from the study.