A01&3 Zimbardo

Question 1

Strength

Answer 1

P-researchers had some control over variables
E-emotionally stable participants were recruited randomly assigned the roles of guard or prisoner
E-the guards and prisoners had those roles only by chance so their behaviour was due to pressures of the situation not their personalities
L-control increases the study’s internal validity. We can be more confident in drawing conclusions about the influences of social roles on behaviour

Question 2

Limitation

Answer 2

P- lack of realism
E-psychologists suggest participants were okay acting, their performances reflected stereotypes of how prisoners and guards are supposed to behave
E-but zimbardos data showed 90% of the prisoners’ conversations were about prison life
L-this stimulation seemed real to them, increasing the study’s internal validity

Question 3

Limitation

Answer 3

P-major ethical issues
E-student who wanted to leave the study spoke to Zimbardo, who responded as a superintendent worried about the running of his prison rather than as a researcher
E-issue arose because Zimbardo was both lead researcher and prison superintendent
L- limitation because Zimbardos ability to protect his participants from harm because his superintendent role conflicted with his lead researcher role

Question 4

Limitation

Answer 4

P-fromm argues that Zimbardo understated dispositional influences
E-zimbardos conclusion is that participants conformed to social roles
E-only a third of the guards behaved brutally. Another third applied the rules fairly. The rest supporting the prisoners, offering them cigarettes and reinstating privileges
L-differences in the guarda behaviour show that they could exercise right and wrong choices, despite situational pressures to conform to a role