5 - conformity to social roles (zimbardo) ao1

Question 1

why did zimbardo want to investigate conformity to social roles?

Answer 1

followed reports of brutality by guards in prisons across america in the late 1960s

Question 2

what did zimbardo want to know about brutality by guards in prisons?

Answer 2

do prison guards behave brutally because they have sadistic personalities or is it the situation that creates such behaviour?

Question 3

what was the setting for zimbardo’s experiment

Answer 3

a mock prison in the basement of stanford university

Question 4

how many participants did zimbardo have

Answer 4

24

Question 5

how did zimbardo select his sample?

Answer 5

advertised for students willing to volunteer and selected those deemed emotionally stable after extensive testing

Question 6

how were students assigned to their roles as guards or prisoners in zimbardo’s experiment?

Answer 6

randomly

Question 7

how did the prisoners get transported and fit into their roles in zimbardo’s experiment?

Answer 7

the prisoners were arrested in their homes by the police. when they arrived they were blind folded, strip searched, deloused and issued a uniform and a number. from them on they were only referred to as their numbers

Question 8

how did the guards work in zimbardo’s experiment

Answer 8

in shifts

Question 9

how many rules did prisoners in zimbardo’s experiment have to follow?

Answer 9

16

Question 10

what was the guards uniform and equipment in zimbardo’s experiment

Answer 10

wooden club, hand cuffs, keys and mirrored sunglasses

Question 11

what amount of control did guards have over the prisoners in zimbardo’s experiment?

Answer 11

total control, decided when prisoners ate, slept and went to the toilrt

Question 12

what tactic did the guards in zimbardo’s experiment use to play the prisoners against eachother

Answer 12

a divide and rule tactic

Question 13

how did the guards behaviour towards prisoners highlight their different in social roles in zimbardo’s experiment

Answer 13

the guards found every opportunity to punish the prisoners. would even do head counts in the middle of the night. they would remind them constantly that they were being monitored

Question 14

the guards behaviour in zimbardo’s experiment started to affect what health of the prisoners?

Answer 14

physical and psychological

Question 15

within how many days did the prisoners start to rebel in zimbardo’s experiment

Answer 15

within two days

Question 16

how did the prisoners in zimbardo’s experiment rebel?

Answer 16

they ripped their uniforms, shouted and swore at the guards, retaliating with fire extinguishers

Question 17

after the rebellion was put down what happened to the prisoners (with examples) in zimbardo’s experiment

Answer 17

the prisoners became depressed and anxious. one was removed after the first day as he showed signs of psychological disturbance. two more were released on the 4th day

Question 18

although there was a slow start, the guards in zimbardo’s study soon took up their roles with what?

Answer 18

enthusiasm

Question 19

zimbardo’s experiment was stopped after how many days?

Answer 19

6 days

Question 20

how many days was zimbardo’s experiment planned for?

Answer 20

14 days

Question 21

what happened when one prisoner in zimbardo’s study went on hunger strike? (punishment by guards)

Answer 21

the guards attempted to force feed him and punish him by putting him in the hole (a small dark cupboard)

Question 22

in zimbardo’s study how did the other prisoners react to the hunger strike prisoner m?

Answer 22

the other prisoners shunned him rather than supported him (for not conforming)

Question 23

the guards in zimbardo’s study were so enthusiastic they offered to do what?

Answer 23

hours without pay

Question 24

when one prisoners wanted to witnesses from zimbardo’s study what did he ask for?

Answer 24

parole

Question 25

what did zimardos stanford prison experiment reveal about conformity to social roles?

Answer 25

it revealed how people will readily conform to social roles they are expected to play, especially if the roles are as strongly stereotypes as those of the prison guards

Question 26

why was the prison environment in zimbardo’s study an important factor in creating the guards brutal behaviour?

Answer 26

none of the participants who acted as guards showed sadistic tendencies before the study

Question 27

what explanation of conformity does the findings of zimbardo’s study support?

Answer 27

situational explanation of behaviour rather than the dispositional one