Zimbadro’s Stanford Prison Experiment Flashcards
What were the aims of this experiment?
How readily people conform to the expectations they have about social roles.
If brutality reported among guards in America was due to personalities of guards or had more to do with prison environment.
What are the procedures of this experiment?
Used well adjusted, healthy male volunteers.
They were paid $15 a day to take part in 2 week simulation in prison.
Volunteers were randomly allocated to the roles of prisoners or guards.
Local police arrested 9 prisoners at their homes without warning.
Taken blindfolded to the prison.
What happened to the prisoners when they got to the prison?
Stripped
Sprayed with disinfectant
Given smocks to wear
Prison numbers to memorise.
They were called by their numbers by the guards
How were the guards presented as?
Three guards
Khaki uniform
Dark glasses
Carried wooden batons.
What happened after 6 days?
The study had to be discontinued.
What happened after 2 days?
Prisoners rebelled against the guards.
What happened on the first day?
A prisoner left due to depression and anxiety
What happened on the fourth day?
Two more prisoners had to be released.
What did Zimbadro concluded?
Prison environment was an important factor to guards brutal behaviour. None had shown this aggression before the experiment.
People will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play.
Roles shape a persons attitudes and behaviour
What controls did Zimbadro have over the study?
Selection of participants
Assign roles of prisoners and guards
What were the different personalities of the guards?
1/3 behaved in a brutal manner
1/3 were keen on applying the rules fairly
1/3 helped and supported the prisoners by offering them cigarettes.
How was the experiment unethical?
Distress caused to the prisoners.
Lack of protection from harm
