3 - Conformity To Social Roles: Zimbardo's Research Flashcards
What is the name of Zimbardo’s research?
The Stanford Prison Experiment
When was Zimbardo’s research?
August 1971
Where was Zimbardo’s research?
Stanford Uni (basement of psych dep.)
What are ‘social roles’?
‘Parts’ people play in everyday life, as members of different social groups - each part has a behavioural expectation
What was the aim of Zimbardo’s research?
To investigate the extent to which our behaviour conforms to the expected social role in a situation
What was the sample?
24 male, middle class students (Interviewed + psychologically tested to ensure ‘emotional stability’)
What was the sample type?
Selected from a volunteer sample (replied to newspaper ad offering $15 per day for 2 weeks in experiment)
What was the experimental design?
Independent groups
How were individual differences in the sample limited?
- All psychologically tested
- Assigned to condition (guard or prisoner) using random allocation
Were the participants deceived?
No - informed about all aspects of experiment
What type of experiment was it?
Lab experiment
What is de-individuation?
Removing sense of personal identity (happened to both guards + prisoners)
What two things helped with de-individuation?
- Removing names
- Wearing uniforms
Describe properties of prisoners
- Arrested at home, blindfolded + brought to unknown location
- Stripped + deloused
- Given uniform: dress, bald cap
- Given number instead of name
- Given 16 rules to follow
Describe properties of guards
- Given uniform: khaki, wooden club, handcuffs, keys, mirror shades
- Given complete power over prisoners, apart from no physical violence
How many guards were together in the same shift?
3
How many prisoners + guards were there?
9 + 3 alternates (of each)
Describe the prison
- Basement of Stanford Uni psych dep.
- Cells: office rooms with prison doors, only containing 3 beds (no windows, no clocks)
- ‘The hole’: cupboard used as solitary confinement
Outline the events of the experiment, day by day
1:
- Roles given + experiment started
- Uneventful
2:
- Prisoners rebellion: ripped uniforms, swore at guards
- Guards shut down rebellion with fire extinguishers
- Prisoners became subdued, one becoming so depressed he went to Zimbardo (returned spreading panic, thought he couldn’t leave)
3:
- One prisoner went on a hunger strike + put in ‘hole’
- Guards harassment of prisoners continues + situation worsens
4:
- One prisoner had an individual rebellion
- Guards punished his rebellion by forcing group to isolate him
- Guards harassment of prisoners continues + situation worsens
5:
- Zimbardo’s wife visits prison + stressed the psychological harm prisoners were suffering from
6:
- Zimbardo ends experiment early
How long was the experiment supposed to last?
14 days
How long did the experiment last?
6 days
How many prisoners had to leave the experiment due to psychological harm?
3
What was the conclusion of the experiment?
Guards, prisoners (+ even researchers) all conformed to their social roles within the prison + underwent de-individuation
- Guards became increasingly sadistic, showing ‘pathology of power’
- Prisoners became increasingly depressed + passive
What is ‘pathology of power’?
Term used to describe the enjoyment the guards felt in being given power over the prisoners
