Zimbardo (1973) Stanford Prison Experiment Flashcards
What was the aim of Zimbardo (1973)
To investigate the extent to which people could conform to roles of prisoners and guards in a stimulated prison experiment
How much were they paid per day
$15
How many people responded to the ad in the newspaper
75 males university students
How many participants were chose?
24 students rated the most physically and mentally stable
How were the prisoners taken to the experiment?
-Arrested from their homes without their knowledge from county police
-Deloused and stripped on arrival
What did the prisoners have to wear?
-Smock
-Ball and chain
-Number (identify with)
What did the guards have to wear?
-Reflective sunglasses
-Khaki uniform
-Whistle
-Baton
How were the roles of guard and prisoner selected?
Randomly
What type of data was mostly collected?
Qualitative
What rules and games did the guards create?
-Prisoners counting their number backward
-Pretending to have a gay marriage
-Cleaning toilets
How did the prisoners report feeling?
Stressed and dehumanised
Why did a rebellion by the prisoners occur?
They were told they weren’t allowed to leave the prison
Why did one prisoner have to released after 48 hours?
Showed signs of mental breakdown
After how many days did the experiment stop?
6 days
What did qualitative data show?
That 90% of conversations were about prison life showing that prisoners fully imersed themselves into the role of prisoner.
