Have you heard of the Bobo doll experiment? When kids of various races and ethnicities were asked which doll was the nice or pretty doll versus the bad or ugly doll, most chose the good qualities for the white doll and the bad qualities for the black doll. This was the case even if they identified themselves as looking like the black doll. In some cases, when asked whom they looked like, some kids refused to answer, cried or ran out of the room (read more here). This study was replicated in other countries such as Italy and similar results were found.
Disturbing, right? The good news is the original study done by Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark helped to end racial segregation in public schools in America.
Let’s imagine that the kids in these studies grow up believing that they are “ugly and bad.” Think about the consequences. Now think about every oppressed group you can imagine…
Do you see how much impact this has on the individual’s psyche? This is how internalized oppression works (read more on it in this post). And watch the video below to see how various ethnic groups have been impacted by White standards of beauty. This is not just an African problem, it is a problem that affects the human race.
Pingback: Part 2: What colonization did to the African and marginalized group’s psyche – Internalized Oppression – African Mind Healer