Conformity:Zimbardos Research (conformity To Social Roles)

Question 1

What are social roles

Answer 1

• the ‘parts’ people play as members of various social groups
• these are accompanied by expectations we and others have of what is appropriate behaviour in each role

Question 2

Outline the procedure of Zimbardo’s study

Answer 2

• set up mock prison in basement of psych department at Stanford uni
• advertised for student volunteers and selected those deemed ‘emotionally stable’
• students randomly assigned role of guard or prisoner
• prisoners daily routines were strictly controlled, they had 16 rules they had to follow, enforced by guards

Question 3

Outline the findings of Zimbardos study

Answer 3

• after a slow start, guards took up their role with enthusiasm
• study stopped after 6 days instead of intended 14
• after 2 days, prisoners rebelled against guards, guards responded by employing a ‘divide and rule’ tactic, playing prisoners off against one another
• after the rebellion was suppressed, prisoners became quiet, depressed etc. one prisoner went on a hunger strike and 2 were realised on the 4th day

Question 4

Outline the conclusions of Zimbardo’s study

Answer 4

• guards prisoners and researchers all conformed to their roles within the prison
• even external participants (the ‘prison chaplain’) found themselves behaving as though they were in a prison

Question 5

What are the three evaluation points for Zimbardo’s research

Answer 5

• high levels of control
• lack of realism
• role of dispositional influences

Question 6

Outline ‘high levels of control’ as an evaluation point for Zimbardo’s research

Answer 6

• Zimbardo + colleagues had some control over variables
• e.g. only ‘emotionally stable’ ppts selected
• having control is a strength because it increases the internal validity of the study

Question 7

Outline ‘lack of realism ’ as an evaluation point for Zimbardo’s research

Answer 7

• there is evidence to suggest that the participants were simply ‘play acting’ rather than genuinely conforming
• for example, one of the guards claimed he had based his role on a brutal character from a film
• however ,zimbardo disputed this with the quantitive data collected during the study which showed 90% of the ppts conversations were about prison life

Question 8

Outline ‘role of dispositional influences’ as an evaluation point for Zimbardo’s research

Answer 8

Fromm accused zimbardo of exaggerating the power of the situation to influence behaviour
- e.g. only 1/3 of the guards behaved in a brutal manner
- 1/3 wanted to apply the rules fairy and the final 1/3 sympathised with the prisoners
- this suggests Zimbardo’s conclusion - ppts were conforming to social roles- may be overstated