The Blue Eyes and Brown Eyes experiment, conducted by educator Jane Elliott in the 1960s, aimed to demonstrate the effects of racism and discrimination by dividing her third-grade class based on eye color. While the experiment was groundbreaking in showcasing prejudice, it raised significant ethical concerns.
One major ethical issue was the psychological impact on the children. Elliott assigned privileges and discrimination based on eye color, leading to feelings of inferiority and superiority among students. The children with blue eyes were treated as ‘better’ while the brown-eyed children faced humiliation and discrimination. This created an environment of psychological distress, which many argue was damaging to the children’s self-esteem and mental well-being.
Moreover, the experiment lacked informed consent. The children and their parents were not fully aware of the potential emotional and psychological consequences of participating in such an exercise. This absence of informed consent goes against ethical standards in psychology, which emphasize the importance of ensuring participants understand the nature of the research and its possible effects.
Additionally, the experiment did not provide proper debriefing after the sessions, which is crucial in research involving psychological manipulation. The lack of support for the children after experiencing the emotional turmoil of being discriminated against raised further ethical red flags.
In summary, while the Blue Eyes and Brown Eyes experiment served as a powerful lesson on prejudice, it is considered unethical due to the psychological harm inflicted on the children, the lack of informed consent, and inadequate debriefing.