Social Influence: Zimbardo's study Flashcards
what are social roles?
the parts people play as members of various social groups. for example, parent, child, student. these are accomoanied by expectations of what is appropriate behaviour in each role.
what was Zimbardo’s prison study?
controlled and participant observation, a mock prison in the psychology department basement at Stanford Uni. they advertised for participants and selected ‘emotionally stable’ participants. they were randomly assigned role of guard and prisoner. prisoners were arrested from home and delivered to the prison. they were blindfold, strip-searcher and issued uniform and number.
what were their social roles?
thr prisoners routines were regulated with 16 rules they had to follow, which were reinforced by the guards who worked in shifts. the prisoners didn’t have names. the guards had handcuffs, shades and wooden club. they were told they had complete power over the prisoners.
what were the findings of Zimbardo’s study?
the study lasted 6 days rather than 14. the prisoners rebelled against the harsh treatment, ripped their uniform and shouted and swore. the guards employed a divide-and-rule tactic. they harassed the prisoners constantly, reminding them they were being monitored. they enforced the rules and punished the smallest misdemeanours. 1 prisoner was released on the first day, 2 more on the 4th day. 1 prisoner went on hunger strike and the guards attempted to force-feed him. the guards behaviour became more brutal as they identified more with their role.
what were the conclusions of the study?
it revealed the power of a situation to influence behaviour. guards and prisoners conformed to their roles, which were easily taken on by the participants.
how is control a strength of Zimbardo’s study? (A03)
the selection of participants was highly controlled. emotionally stable individuals were chosen and randomly allocated their roles. this is a way to rule out individual difference. by being in their roles by chance, their behaviour must have been due to the pressures of the situation. this increases internal validity.
how does Zimbardo’s study have a lack of realism? (A03)
Banuazizi + Mohavedi argued participants were role-playing rather than conforming. their performance was based on stereotypes of how prisoners and guards are supposed to behave. 1 guard claimed he copied from the movie Cool Hand Luke. Zimbardo pointed to evidence that the situation was very real. quantatitive data showed 90% of conversations were about prison life. the situation was real to participants, which gives high internal validity.
what are the roles of dispositional influences? (A03)
Fromm accused Zimbardo of exaggerating the power of situation and minimising role of personality factors. only 1/3 guards behaved in a brutal manner, another 1/3 wanted to apply the rules fairly, the rest tried to support the prisoners. this suggests Zimbardo’s conclusion may be over-stated. the difference in the guards behaviours indicated they were able to exercise right and wrong choices.
