Haney, Banks and Zimbardo (1973) Flashcards
1
Q
When did this study take place?
A
1973
2
Q
What were the aims of this study?
A
To investigate prisoner-guard conflicts in a simulated prison environment
3
Q
What were the procedures of this study? (7)
A
- 21 psychologically healthy ppts (10 prisoners, 11 guards)
- Guards set up simulated prison in a basement
- Guards only told to “maintain order” and wore military uniforms with batons
- Prisoners handcuffed, blindfolded and taken to sim. prison by REAL officers where they were stripped and deloused
- Prisoners only referred to by their identification numbers
- Prisoners allowed limited privileges
- Guards had 8-hour shifts with prisoner count at start of each, when prisoners had to recite their I-D no.
4
Q
What were the results?
A
- First hours: Guards increasingly aggressive - solitary confinement as punishment and verbal assault
- 2nd day: After prisoners were punished for rebelling:
- Prisoners became docile, obedient and passive
- Guards escalated in dominance, aggression and hostility
- Study stopped prematurely after 6 days b/c behaviour in both roles was out of control -
- some prisoners showed signs of depression and anxiety
5
Q
What were the conclusions?
A
- Ppts conformed to roles - uniforms facilitated deindividuation
- Both roles immersed in simulated prison environment
6
Q
What are the strengths of this study?
A
- Each ppt was debriefed and psychologically evaluated
- Recordings of prisoner interactions showed them becoming immersed in their role
- gave more valid results - Can explain atrocities in real prisons
7
Q
What are the weaknesses of this study?
A
- Unethical
- prisoners subjected to psychological harm and distress - Low ecological validity
- possible demand characteristics b/c ppts knew it was a simulation - Limited generalisablity
- only studied male college students, which doesn’t represent real prison populations
