The Associated Press followed up, quoting Elliott as saying she was "dumbfounded" by the exercise's effectiveness. The blue-eyed children were told not to do their homework because, even if they answered all the questions, theyd probably forget to bring the assignment back to class. Blue Eyed vs Brown Eyed Study Conducted by Jane Elliott Presentation by Bree Elliott Ethics Background The Results In 1968, when Dr. Martin Luther King Junior was assassinated, Jane Elliott was the teacher of a third grade class in the town of Riceville, Iowa. 10 Psychological Experiments That Could Never Happen Today. However, in this classroom, having blue-eyes had become a condition of inferiority. The minimal group paradigm has shaped an entire methodology in social psychology. "Not one of them reprimanded her for that or even corrected her. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 was also an event that spurred educators to action, motivating one teacher to try out a bold experiment touted to reduce racism. Jane Elliott's Blue-Eyed versus Brown-Eyed Students experiment was conducted to determine whether racism was a learned characteristic. How do you think the world would change if everyone experienced the perils and setbacks that come with prejudice and discrimination? The secretary said the south side of the building was closed, something about waxing the hallways. Subsequent research designed to gauge the efficacy of Elliotts attempt at reducing prejudice showed that many participants were shocked by the experiment, but it did nothing to address or explain the root causes of racism. They are cleaner than blue-eyed people. Professor Jane Elliott performed a group experiment with her students that they would never forget. What Was The Blue Eyes Brown Eyes Experiment? When some of the . They felt superior and had the support of the authority figure (the teacher). On the second day of the experiment, Elliott switched the childrens roles. . She and her husband, Darald Elliott, then a grocer, have four children, and they, too, felt a backlash.