Conformity To Social Roles

Question 1

Zimbardo- Method

Answer 1

• 24 American male volunteers , paid $15.
• Randomly assigned prisoner or guard.
• Local police arrested participants at their own home.
• Taken to a mock prison in the basement of Stanford University.
  Treatment of the participants
• Prisoners- Strip searched, deloused, given numbers, smock and chain around ankle.
• Guards- Batons, sunglasses, khaki uniform.

Question 2

Zimbardo- Results and Comclusion

Answer 2

Results for guards
- Dehumanising the prisoners, forcing prisoners to role play humiliating acts, cell raids.
Results for Prisoners
- They went on hunger strike, rebelled against the guards, three had severe mental health problems and was withdrawn from the study.
Conclusion
- Guards and prisoners were de individuated (they lost their personal identity) by taking on social roles.
- Situation changed the way they acted, become their role, not them as a person.

Question 3

Zimbardo ethical considerations- Benefits/Counters

Answer 3

• It went through an approval board from the Office of Naval Research. No one foresaw the extreme reactions of the prisoners.
• Zimbardo did abandon the experiment after 6 days, rather than the full 2 weeks due to harm.
• Did a debrief for all participants, was it a long term full up with therapy.
• Argued benefits to understanding of how prisons can can dehumanise and now improve our prison system and avoid maltreatment.

Question 4

Zimbardo ethical considerations- Issues

Answer 4

• Lack of informed consent- Did not know what the outcome of the study would be or how people may react within the study.
• Lack of right to withdraw- The nature of the study is a prison, rights are taken away. He did not recognise withdraw consents.
• Deception- Only deception was when arrested at home.
• Harm- Prisoners on hunger strike. Mental health problems.

Question 5

Zimbardo evaluation criticism- Ecological validity

Answer 5

• There are a number of methodological issues Zimbardo’s research, one particular one is ecological validity.
• Ev- Lack of ecological validity. Fake cells in basement of University, unrealistic chain around 1 ankle, guards wore sunglasses.
• Ex- Unlike a real prison, wood cells not metal, chains not used, guards not wearing sunglasses. Prisoners even commented at beginning how fake it looked. More demand characteristics not conformity to social roles.
• However, prisoners did not know they were being arrested by real police at their home. Fell embarrassed as in front of neighbours. Hence, like real life setting.

Question 6

Zimbardo evaluation criticism- Ethical issues

Answer 6

• On the other hand, there were ethical issues raised as a result of Zimbardo’s result.
• Ev- There was a lack of right to withdraw, lack of informed consent, little protection from harm and some deception.
• Ex- Zimbardo’s research should never have been conducted- he did not know the outcome or affects on participants. Prison simulation took away people’s rights to withdraw. Zimbardo should have made efforts to ensure people wanted to continue, particularly when showing signs of distress.
• However, Zimbardo did acquire approval from the Office of Naval Research. Furthermore, he did a very thorough debrief of all participants.

Question 7

Zimbardo evaluation support- Real life beneficial applications

Answer 7

• There are real life beneficial applications from Zimbardo’s research.
• Ev- Real life prison changes e.g. prisoners called by name not number. Prison officers not allowed to cover eyes.
• Ex- This reduces the likelihood of deindividuation and stops prison officers dehumanising prisoners. This has improves treatment of prisoners, reduction in likelihood of riots.
• However, not prevented all cases of conformity to social roles e.g. Abu Ghraib- locked up “unconvinced terrorists”. Guards referred to prisoners by id number and wore sunglasses to cover their eyes.