Haney Et Al. Effect Of Imprisonment

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To look at the processes which motivate aggression and submissive behaviour within a ‘total institution’ e.g. a prison

Question 2

Number of participants?

Answer 2

24 males college students selected from 75 volunteers

Question 3

Sampling method?

Answer 3

Volunteer sample. Advert placed in a newspaper quoting ‘male college students for psychological study of prison life’ in reward for $15 a day

Question 4

Control of participants?

Answer 4

Complete questionnaires about family background, physical and mental health, prior experience, attitudes and propensity towards psychopathy

Question 5

How many students actually participated?

Answer 5

22, the other 2 were on ‘stand-by’

Question 6

Method and design?

Answer 6

Naturalistic observation

Question 7

What and how were the roles allocated?

Answer 7

Roles of the ‘guardian’ and ‘prisoner’ were randomly allocated

Question 8

Describe the setting.

Answer 8

A mock prison was created in the basement of the Stanford University with a cot as the only furniture for the prisoners and several rooms used as ‘guard’ quarters

Question 9

How long did each prisoner remain in the mock prison?

Answer 9

24 hours a day

Question 10

How long did the guards remain in prison?

Answer 10

They worked 3- man shifts for 8 hours

Question 11

What was the assigned task?

Answer 11

To maintain the reasonable degree of order within the prison necessary for its effective functioning

Question 12

What was administered to both groups to make it more real?

Answer 12

Uniforms. Guards had Kharki uniforms, shades and a baton.

Prisoners had nothing but a white sheet with a printed number on it.

Question 13

How long did the study go on for?

Answer 13

After 6 days the experiment stopped due to negative behaviour. The study was supposed to be running for 2 weeks.

Question 14

Deindividualisation

Answer 14

Loss of sense of self-identity due to ‘roles’

Question 15

Pathological prisoner syndrome:

Answer 15

Initial rebellion followed by passivity and obedience. A range of negative emotions such as crying, depression, rage and acute anxiety

Question 16

Pathology of power:

Answer 16

The guards used their power and authority to control the prisoners. They redefined the basic prisoner’s rights as rewards to be earned. The guards were distressed that the experiment ended early

Question 17

What were the 3 conclusions?

1) situational explanation
2) individual explanation
3) implications

Answer 17

1) The prisoners’ and guards’ behaviour changed due to the roles they had been assigned
2) Some differences exist between how people individually manage their social role
3) Findings could be used to inform guard training programmes how to use their power