Divided Class Experiment

The Divided Classroom Experiment (Blue-Eyes/Brown-Eyes Exercise), a social psychologist Jane Elliott initiated in 1968 as an experimental educational method. The exercise aims to raise awareness of racial prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping. Participants are divided into advantaged or disadvantaged groups based on eye color; this process allows them to directly experience the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral consequences of prejudice. The experiment was designed to demonstrate that prejudice is not merely a cognitive process but also shapes social behavior and emotional responses.  

The experiment was conducted in 1968 in the United States of America, shortly after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., by Elliott in an elementary school in Iowa. Elliott developed a simple yet effective method to help young students experience their capacity to comprehend prejudice. Over time, the exercise was applied to university students and adult groups, becoming a significant educational tool in the field of social psychology.  

The experiment begins by dividing participants into two groups based on eye color: blue-eyed and brown-eyed. One group (for example, the blue-eyed participants) is temporarily placed in a disadvantaged position: they are criticized, their rights are restricted, and they are told that poor performance is expected. The other group is placed in an advantaged position: they receive praise, are granted privileges, and are rewarded for positive behavior. During the experiment, participants observe how status differences within the classroom contribute to the creation of discrimination and prejudice. The instructor provides feedback throughout the exercise to help individuals recognize their own attitudes and behaviors.

Research shows that participants become aware of their own prejudices by experiencing the discrimination faced by others. Members of the disadvantaged group experience anxiety, anger, and stress, while the advantaged group experiences the responsibilities associated with power and privilege. These emotional responses can contribute to reducing prejudice but may also generate resistance or negative stress in some individuals. Studies on white participants have shown that the exercise significantly improved attitudes toward Asian Americans and Latino/Latina individuals, but produced only limited changes in attitudes toward African Americans.

^{Visual Representation of the Divided Classroom Experiment (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

The Divided Classroom Experiment provides a theoretical framework for developing empathy and awareness regarding prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. The exercise goes beyond helping individuals understand prejudice as a purely cognitive phenomenon by enabling them to experience it at the behavioral and emotional levels, thereby supporting processes of social learning and attitude change. In the fields of social psychology and education, it is an important method for observing and reducing the effects of prejudice.

The exposure of participants to negative emotional experiences during the exercise has raised ethical concerns. Critics emphasize that such experiences may have long-term psychological effects, especially in children, and that these intense emotional experiences must be carefully managed within educational contexts. In contrast, proponents argue that the empathy and awareness generated by the exercise carry social value that outweighs its short-term negative effects.  

Over time, the exercise has been applied to various age groups, university students, and adult participants. In some versions, eye color has been replaced by other social identity factors such as gender, socioeconomic class, or ethnic background. Modern applications are designed within ethical standards, providing participants with advance information and opportunities for post-exercise discussion.