Social Influence- Zimbardo

Question 1

What was the aim of Zimbardo’s study?

Answer 1

To understand wether the situation around you effects your behaviour and to understand how people conform to authority

Question 2

Where was the study done?

Answer 2

Stanford Univerity

Question 3

What sampling method did Zimbardo use?

Answer 3

Volunteer Sampling

Question 4

What was the conclusion of the guards?

Answer 4

They conformed to what they thought was right and how they were expected to act

Question 5

What was the conclusion of the prisoners?

Answer 5

They conformed to their role because they rebelled but they eventually decided to obey as they were afraid of harassment

Question 6

How was Zimbardo involved in the study?

Answer 6

He put himself as super intendant in the prison

Question 7

What did Zimbardo ask for in his newspaper article?

Answer 7

Male students

Question 8

How many students were interviewed?

Answer 8

70

Question 9

How many students eventually participated?

Answer 9

24

Question 10

What are the negatives of demand characteristics in Zimbardo’s study?

Answer 10

All the students knew they were in a psychology study - could have discovered the aim and acted how they think Zimbardo wanted them to
Many of the students would have heard of Zimbardo, and known his high status, therefore would do what he said.

Question 11

What are the negatives of investigator effects in Zimbardo’s study?

Answer 11

Zimbardo was interested in finding shocking results and was keen to find evidence that would support the idea that people to conform to social roles.

Question 12

What are the ethical issues of Zimbardo’s study?

Answer 12

Participants weren’t well protected from physical harm - prisoners were sleep deprived - hunger strikes.
Or psychological harm - humiliated by guards

Guards - guilt and embarrassment

Didn’t give complete informed consent because they were arrested before the experiment was ,want to start even if they were doing something with their families.

Didn’t have complete right to withdraw because they were told to “sleep on it” and made to believe they couldn’t leave.

Also were paid $15 a day which is an incentive - made them stay as long as possible even if they were harmed.

Question 13

What is a negative of the sampling method he used?

Answer 13

It only selects people who are motivated to take part in the study, it won’t be generalisable to all people because he asked for make students - androcentric