Conformity to Social Roles Flashcards
what did zimbardo do in the 1970s
conducted stanford prison experimetn
there had bneen many prison riots in America , what did zimbardo want to know
why prison guards behaved brutally was it down to sadistic eprsonalities
or was it their social role that created such behaviour
in the stanford prison experimetn SPE what did Zim set up
mock prisn set up in basement of psychology department at Stan Uni
what was the sample group of the SPE
21 Men (student volunteers) that tested as emotionally stable
how were the students assigned tot eh roles of prisoner or guard
randomly
What were the prisoners and guards encouraged to do
conform to social roles
how were the prisoners and guards encouraged to conform to social roles
through uniforms worn
instructions about their behaviour
UNIFORM what were the prisoners given tow ear
loose smock + cap to cover their hair
UNIFORM how were the prisoners identified
by number
names were never used
UNIFORM describe the guards uniform and what did this reflect
reflected the status of their role
with
wooden club
handcuffs
mirror shades (so prisoner couldnt see their eyes and reduces the emotional human connection ?)
UNIFORM what did the uniforms create and what did it meant
create loss of personality (de-individualisation)
meant they more likely to conform to the percieved social role
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT BEHAVIOUR the prisoners were further encouraged to…
identify withj their role through several pricedures
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT BEHAVIOUR give exmaples of proedures the prisoners & guards went through
prisoners rather than leave early - could apply for parole
guards encoruaged to play role by being reminded had complete power over prisoners
FINDINGS describe how did the guards take up theri role
with enthusiasm , treating the prisoners harshly
FINDINGS how many days did it take prisoners to rebel
two
FINDINGShow did prisoners display rebellion
ripped uniforms
shouted
swore at guards
FINDINGShow did guards respond to rebellion
retaliated with fire extinguishers
FINDINGSthe what did teh guards highlight
differnces in social roles
FINDINGS how did the guards highlight differnces in social roles
creating oppoertunities to enforce rules and administer punishments
FINDINGS how did the guards create opportunities to enforce rulse and administer punishments
using divide and rule tactics by playing prisoners off against each other
harassed P constantly to remind them of powerlessness e.g frequent headcounts sometime in the middle of the night
FINDINGSafter the rebellion was put down how were the prisoners
depressed
anxious
subdued
FINDINGSa prison was released becasue
showed symptons of psychologuical disturbance
FINDINGShow many more prisoners released on fourth day
2
FINDINGSanother prisoners wnt on a
hunger strike
FINDINGSwhat did the guards do to the prisoner that went on the hunger strike ?
force feed him
tehn punish him by putting him in a dark tiny closet (the hole)
FINDINGShow would we say guards identified with theri role
more and more closely
FINDINGShow did the guards behaviour become
increasingly brutal amnd aggresive
some appearing to enjoy power they had over prisoners
FINDINGSwhen did zimbardo end the study
in 6 days rather than 14
CONCLUSIONS RELATED TO SOCIAL ROLES social roles appear ot have a strong .
strong influence on an indis behaviour
as
guards became brutal
prisoners became more submissive
CONCLUSIONS RELATED TO SOCIAL ROLES how were the roles taken on by particpants
very easily
CONCLUSIONS RELATED TO SOCIAL ROLES the roles were easily taken on by particpants as even volunteers who took on roles like prison chaplain found themselves behaving
as if in prison rather than a psychological study
outline conclusions
people quickly conform to social roles
even when roles go against oral principles
situational factors largely responsible
non of these pt had ever demonstrated these behaviours previously
STRENGTH CONTROL
zimbardo and his colleagues had control over x x
e.g x of pt
x x pt were chosen and x assigned to either x or x
in this way researcehrs ruled out x x x as an x of the findings
if guards and prisoners behvaed very x , but were in these x only by x, then their behaviours x have been x tot eh x itself
this x of x over x increased the x x of the study
so we can be much more x in drawing x about x influence of x on x
STRENGHT OF SPE
zimbardo and his colleagues had control over key variables
e.g selection of pt
emotionally stable pt were chosen and randomly assigned to either guard or prisoner
in this way researcehrs ruled out individual personality differences as an explantion of the findings
if guards and prisoners behvaed very diff , but were in these roles only by chance, then their behaviours must have been due tot eh role itself
this degree of control over variables increased the internal validity of the study
so we can be much more confident in drawing conclusions abouth the influence of roles on conformity
limitation - exaggerating power of situation
x accused zimbardo of exaggerating the power of the x to x behaviour , x the role of x
in zimbardos x experient the behaviour of the guards varied x
x behaviour was displayed by around x/x of pt in that role
some guards x prisoners by x support , x , x and x x thta were lost
this suggests x factrs x the x cause of conformity to social roles and x x such as x also play a x
limitation as implying zims x could have been x
fromm accused zimbardo of exaggerating the power of the istuation to influence behaviour , minimising the role of personality
in zimbardos og experient the behaviour of the guards varied dramitaclcly
sadistic behaviour was displayed by around 1/3 of pt in that role
some guards hepled prisoners by offering support , sympathy , cigarrets and reinstatig privileges thta were lost
this suggests situational factrs arent the only cause of conformity to social roles and dispositional factors such as personality also play a role
implying zims conclusions could have been overstated
LIMTITATION - LACK OF REALISM
didnt have x of a x prison
x argue pt wer x x rather than x x to a role
cuz pt performance x on x of how x and x are x to be
e.g one guard claimed x his role on x charcter from film x x x
can also xplain why prisoners x - x this was what x x did
this overall suggests x of SPE tell us x about x to x roles in x prisons
LIMITAITON SPE - didnt have realsim of a true prison
psychologists argue pt wer eplay acting rather than genuinley confomring to a role
pt performance based on stereotype of how prisoners and guards are supposed to be
e.g one guard claimed based his role on burtal charcter from film cool hand luke
can also xplain why prisoners rioted - thought this was what real prioners did
this overall suggests findings of SPE tell us little about confomrity to socila roles in actual prisons
COUNTERPOINT OF LACK OF REALISM
x argued pt did x as if prisons were x to tehm
e.g x% of prisoners x were about x x
- discussed how its x to leave SPE before x were over
x SPE did x the x roles of prisoners and guards ina x prison giving study a x degree of x x
Mcdermott argued pt did behave as if prisons were real to tehm
e.g 90% of prisoners conversations were about prison life
- discussed how its impossible to leave SPE before sentences were over
suggesting SPE did replicate the socila roels of prisoners and guards ina real prison giving study a high degree of internal validity
