The "blue-eyed brown-eyed experiment," conducted by Jane Elliott, reveals that segregation can have profound psychological impacts on individuals, affecting their self-esteem and interpersonal relationships. In her exercise, Elliott divided her class into groups based on eye color, assigning privileges to one group while discriminating against the other. This role reversal allowed students to experience discrimination firsthand.
Evidence from the text illustrates that the students who were discriminated against began to internalize feelings of inferiority, while those in the privileged group exhibited arrogance and a sense of superiority. This reflects how segregation can dehumanize individuals and foster harmful attitudes. For example, the text may describe how the brown-eyed students, who faced unfair treatment, showed signs of distress and lowered self-esteem, highlighting the emotional toll of segregation.
Elliott's experiment serves as a microcosm of the broader societal impacts of segregation, showing that it not only creates divisions but also harms individual identities and sense of worth. Through experiencing discrimination directly, the students learned valuable lessons about empathy, justice, and the inherent equality of all people, emphasizing the need for inclusivity and understanding.