Reicher and Haslam

Question 1

What was the aim of this study?

Answer 1

To examine the consequences of randomly dividing men into groups of prisoners and guards within a specifically constructed institution over 8 days.

Question 2

What was the study type used?

Answer 2

Experimental case study.

Question 3

Who were the participants?

Answer 3

15 males, randomly distributed into groups of 5 guards and 10 prisoners. One prisoner not involved at the start of the study.

Question 4

What did participants undergo each day?

Answer 4

Daily psychometric testing. Daily swabs of saliva were taken in order to find out cortisol levels.

Question 5

What did the guards have in order to impose their authority?

Answer 5

Resources, Ability to put prisoners on a bread and water diet.

Question 6

How did the prisoners arrive?

Answer 6

One at a time. Shaved heads, clothes taken. Given a uniform.

Question 7

What were the IVs?

Answer 7

Permeability and cognitive alternatives.

Question 8

What were the guards told to do on day 3?

Answer 8

Make a promotion from prisoner to guard.

Question 9

What are cognitive alternatives?

Answer 9

Refers to the group members awareness of ways in which social relations could be constructed in order to bring about social change.

Question 10

When was the new prisoner introduced on day 4? Who was he? Why was he introduced?

Answer 10

A trade union official. Chosen as he was likely to stir things up.

Question 11

What were the findings divided into?

Answer 11

Day 1-6: Rejecting inequality.

Day 7-8: Embracing inequality

Question 12

What were the two phases?

Answer 12

First Phase: Guards didnt identify with group and act collectively. Prisoners lacked social identity and acted individually. Day 3= prisoners act together. Day 6: Guards overthrown.

Second Phase: Prisoners and guards decided to create a new self governing commune.

Question 13

What were the conclusions?

Answer 13

Guards failed to identify their role.
Guards reluctant to impose authority.
Haslam and Reicher suggest that it is powerlessness and the future of groups that makes tyranny psychologically acceptable.

Question 14

How were the ethical concerns dealt with?

Answer 14

Three phase clinical, medical and background screening to ensure they were neither psychologically vulnerable nor liable to put others at risk.
Participants signed a comprehensive consent form.
Two independent psychologists monitored the study throughout. Had the right to see any participant at any time or to demand that any participant be removed from the
study.
Paramedic was on constant standby.
On site security guards given protocols clarifying when and how to intervene.
5 person ethics committee monitored the study throughout

Question 15

What were the 3 planned interventions?

Answer 15

1: Permability- Potential to be a guard.
2: Legitimacy- Allocation to roles was random but it was too late to make changes now. This meant that the groups which had previously appeared legitimate had now lost its legitimacy.
3: Cognitive alternatives: Tenth prisoners introduced. Encouraged the overthrowing of the guards

Question 16

What was the screening process?

Answer 16

Psychometric tests, measured both social variables.
Full weekend assessment by independent clinical psychologists.
Medical and character references were obtained and police checks were conducted.

Question 17

What was the set up of the study for the guards?

Answer 17

Informed they would have the role of guards.
Shown the prison timetable.
Told they were responsible for making sure that the institution ran smoothly and ensuring the prisoners performed all their tasks.
Asked to draw up a series of prison rules under headings they were given by the authors and asked to set up a number of punishments.
Told that violence would not be tolerated.

Question 18

What happened on day 1 of the study? (Guards)

Answer 18

Guards taken to the institution in a blacked out vans.
Blacked out vans ensured that the institution would be the only place that they would see for the duration of the study.
Briefed on the layout of the prison and resources available to them.
Shown the isolation cell. Guards had well made uniforms, which they put on after the briefing.
Prepared for the arrival of the prisoners by practising the procedure for introducing a prisoner to the prison.

Question 19

What happened on day 1 of the study (Prisoners)

Answer 19

Arrived one at a time. Heads shaved. Given a uniform printed with a 3 digit number, loose trousers and flimsy sandals. Short loudspeaker announcement saying no violence would be tolerated. Guards were looking for guard like qualities in the prisoners as there was chance of promotion on day 3.