conformity to social roles (zimbardo)

Question 1

procedure

Answer 1

• Zimbardo (1973) set up a mock prison in the basement of Stanford University
• he advertised for students willing to volunteer & selected those deemed to be ‘emotionally stable’
• 21 male students were randomly assigned to the role of either ‘guard’ or ‘prisoner’
• the ‘prisoners’ were arrested from their homes by the local police & brought to the mock prison
• they were blindfolded, strip searched, deloused, and issued w/ a uniform & number
• guards were also given uniforms (wooden club, handcuffs, keys, mirrored sunglasses)
• guards were told they had complete power over the prisoners

Question 2

findings

Answer 2

• within 2 days, prisoners rebelled against harsh treatment of guards (ripped their uniforms, shouted & swore at them) & the guards retaliated w/ fire extinguishers
• guards harassed them & created many opportunities to enforce the rules and punish even the smallest misdemeanour
• prisoners became subdued, depressed and anxious > 1 released on day one due to signs of psychological disturbance
• 1 prisoner went on hunger strike, & guards attempted to force feed him, and punished him by putting him in the ‘hole’ (tiny dark closet)
• guards increasingly identified w/ their roles
• study ended after 6 days instead of the planned 14

Question 3

conclusions

Answer 3

• the stimulation revealed the power of situation to influence people’s behaviour
• roles were very easily taken on by ppts. even volunteers for specific functions (e.g. ‘prison chaplain’) found themselves behaving as though they were in a prison rather than in a psychological study