The Doll Test

It was a dreadful experiment . To me it looked more like sewing ideas in their heads rather than helping the children affirm their ethnicity.

I had a black dolly and a white dolly which were the the same size when I was young and I called them my twins.

I agree FarNorth as an experiment in psychology it was unfair and somewhat dangerous.

Jasmine, Tiana, Mulan, Pocohantas etc are all of ethnic origin and are much loved nowadays too.

I knew girls who had 'darky dollies' as well as pink ones.
The term wasn't derogatory, it was just a description.

As a child, if I was asked those questions, I'd be trying to work out what was wanted so that I'd get it right.
It would be interesting to know what the children were told beforehand.

It is quite an unkind thing to put them through.

It was based on some est conducted in the 1940s, but the questions were a bit daft -"which is the nice doll" and "which doll is bad".... adults would answer "neither, they are dolls" but children often feel they should give a reply, even when the question is not sensible.

If I asked my GC that same question (they are white, by the way, aged 9 and 5yrs), they'd say the same as me - it's a doll and cannot be good/bad/nice etc.

Well, as a child I certainly wouldn't have had the reaction that black was bad or naughty whether the experiment shown was a set up or not...I longed and longed for my own black dolly and was so pleased to be bought one after endless mithering.

This was in the early 50's in a northern town and I don't think I ever saw a black person in real life until my teens. I loved her with a passion and still have her to this day (in a cupboard obvs). I believe that, left to their own devices, children are totally colour blinď.

Callistemon

No wonder some elderly people offend without meaning to.

I think most people could get past a first offense. It’s when people refuse to change what they are doing after being told it’s offensive that it becomes a problem.

No wonder some elderly people offend without meaning to.

Callistemon yes you are right! the term "People of Colour" is
now very widely used. However to say a coloured person is not usually in use as it can be seen as offensive. My guessing that many years ago they were labelled the "Coloureds" among many other least favourable terms and parliament passed bills through to get more favourable conditions for other races.

They are all strange terms to me and as you say white people are not white and a few days ago on the phone I was asked my ethnic colour, I gave it some thought for a minute
before replying I am British and would not say anything in regard of black or white or other. It's all madness to me.

There are so many PC labels in different situations now it’s a job keeping up.And I hope no one will be offended by my saying that.

I agree * Callistemom* . I can’t see the difference but I would never say “coloured” as I know it causes offence. I think the term “ people of colour “ is widely used now.

Diane Abbott uses the term 'People of Colour', 3nanny6

I find it difficult to see the difference between the terms 'a coloured person' and a 'person of colour' myself but ne is PC, the other not.

They are all strange terms.
White people are not white are they.

I wonder who was asking the questions - a black person or a white one.
I also wonder if the children were given any instructions beforehand e.g. told they could, or could not, choose to say both dolls were the same in any answer.

Children often try to do what they think an adult wants.
Looking at it that way, at least some of them must have felt bullied by the questioner.

Grandad1943

GG65 if you made some effort by way of placing some explanation text alongside your opening posted link you may find that more forum members will make an effort to view it.

However, why should you expect others to support your laziness?

Good lord. You do love to play the long suffering man Dont you.

Watch

Don’t watch.

But to call sharing this video laziness? Do you get off on randomly insulting people?

I just googled the term 'people of colour'.
It seems to be in wide current use although not everyone is happy with it.

MaizieD post 10.29 You have written . "It's a video about coloured children and racism"
I am just pointing out that black people do not like to be called "coloured" they want to be called black. Also there were Asian
and I think Chinese in the video. Adult black people would not like their children called " coloured" The word " coloured would have been in use back in the 1940's so excuse me if you meant back in that time. It has been campaigned for a long time to use the word black.
Also you do hear T.V. presenters etc use the term "People of Colour" when describing a non white person sometimes I think it is because they do not know the correct terminology to use for fear of offence.

Dolls can't be good or bad, they are inaminate objects.

The Doll Test : posted by GG65. Even if it was a psychological test back in the 1940s it was stupid and humiliating to those children. Sad and makes me wonder what these psychologists are trained in to carry out tests like that.

Surely there’s a happy medium between just a blue link and a “long winded explanation “ .!?
Agree that GrAndad was unnecessarily brusque.

Grandad1943 that was rather rude.

Sorry for doubting you GG but I don’t open links if there’s no explanation you can log into too many scams
You are quite right may7 the post didn’t need a long winded narrative but it did need some explanation a simple
“I was very moved by this what do you feel” would have been fine and Would have let us know it wasn’t a scam post

There are many many racists in this country and even more that claim not to be but would never stand up to be counted

GG65 I agree with the other posters. I don't click links unless there is at least a few words explaining why it has been posted.
The comments were not unreasonable given that a link just randomly appeared. It may only take a few minutes to check people out but it is easier just to introduce a link.
I don't think anyone intended to cause offence but it is surely better to know that more people will click links if they are aware in broad terms what it is about.

Yep that's exactly what I did and do. Took a few seconds of my time.
Very thought provoking.

Thanks for posting that link, I appreciated it.

Well, I searched for the poster and found that she has contributed on many other Gnet threads; which gave me the confidence to look at her link.

An explanation with it would have been helpful, but checking someone out only takes a few minutes...

I thought it was a scam so I didn’t click.