The Measurement of Children's Self-Concepts as Related to Racial Membership

Black and white preschool children were asked to guess which of 2 boxes, 1 painted white and 1 painted black, and each containing tape-recorder speakers, had broadcast such self-concept statements as, "I am good," "I am bad," etc. Though the 32 statements were actually broadcast with equal intensity from both speakers, white children reported that they heard more positive than negative statements originating from the white box; and black children reported hearing more negative statements originating from the white box than did white children. The results were related to the influence of attitudes toward color on development of self- and other perception.