Conformity to Social Roles - Zimbardo

Question 1

What participants did Zimbardo use?

Answer 1

24 ‘emotionally stable’ US male students

Question 2

What roles where there and how were they allocated?

Answer 2

Prisoner or guard and randomly allocated

Question 3

Where was the experiment held?

Answer 3

Stanford University

Question 4

How many days was the study supposed to last and how long did it last?

Answer 4

Supposed to last 14 and lasted 6

Question 5

What happened to prisoners when they arrived?

Answer 5

Deloused, made to worn smock and given ID number to wear

Question 6

What happened to guards when they arrived?

Answer 6

Given uniforms, clubs, reflective sunglasses

Question 7

How were prisoners brought to the ‘prison’?

Answer 7

Arrested by actual police from their homes without prior warning

Question 8

What were guards instructed to do?

Answer 8

Instructed to run the prison without physical violence

Question 9

How did the guards treat the prisoners, with an example showing this.

Answer 9

Guards were harsh e.g. enforced night time headcounts

Question 10

Why did 3 participants drop out?

Answer 10

Due to nervous breakdowns

Question 11

Give an evaluation about social roles in the study

Answer 11

The power of social roles was exaggerated. Only 1/3 of guards behaved brutally.

Question 12

Give an evaluation about control over variables in the study

Answer 12

There was a good control over key variables. E.g. Random allocation for roles.

Question 13

Give an evaluation from alternative research

Answer 13

Reicher and Haslam found p’s resisted behaviour that conflicted with their identities.