Social-Reicher And Haslams Prison Study Flashcards
What was the method for the Prison study?
Fifteen participants (volunteered after a long choice process) were separated Into groups of five prison guards and 10 prisoners. The groups weren’t permeable though, and the prisoners were told that on day three a prisoner would be made into a guard. Until day three, all prisoners acted very much on their own. On day three, after a prisoner was transferred, the groups were made permeable. This affected the groups as it made them act much more together and unified. On day five, a new prisoner was brought in who was a humans right activist, he planted ideas in the prisoners minds that they could overcome the guards. After this on day six, the humans rights activist was taken out of the study as well as that, the prisoners were told that the guards had been chosen at random, not for any qualities. This then created a very low legitimacy for the guards.
What was the aim of the prison study??
To investigate how relations develop over time between groups of unequal power. Specifically, the study was to test the prediction that a subordinate group develops a strong identity only once groups are impermeable (cannot be changed)
