Conformity to social roles - ZIMBARDO

Question 1

when was zimbardo’s experiment?

Answer 1

1973

Question 2

method

Answer 2

• volunteers (considered most stable) randomly assigned prisoner/guard
• Ps wore smocks, flip flops & light chain
• Gs wore shirts, trousers, reflective glasses & baton
• Ps arrested & had to address each other by a number
• observed

Question 3

results

Answer 3

• they conformed to the roles
• Ps fought back by barricading themselves in a cell - Gs stripped them & had their bedding removed
• 5th day = 1 released with a psychosomatic rash
• 6th day = terminated

Question 4

conclusion

Answer 4

• both groups conformed & became dehumanised in the eyes of the others
• supports situational explanation of behaviour

Question 5

EVALUATION - ge-

Answer 5

GENERALISING
- mostly white, middle class young men

Question 6

EVALUATION - et-

Answer 6

ETHICS
- informed consent = arrested at homes, G behaviour couldn’t have been foreseen
- psych harm = weren’t released ASAP from showing problems
+ debriefing & post-exp questionnaires showed no lasting harm

Question 7

EVALUATION - study type

Answer 7

• IV & DV not easily identified
• more of an observational study
• cause & effect can’t be established easily