Zimbardo & Conformity to Social Roles Flashcards
What are social roles?
The parts people play in various social groups, such as parent, student, or guard, which come with expected behaviours.
What was the aim of Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE)?
To investigate whether prison guards behave brutally due to sadistic personalities or whether the situation creates such behaviour.
How was the Stanford Prison Experiment set up?
A mock prison was created in the basement of Stanford University’s psychology department.
How were participants selected for the experiment?
Volunteers were recruited and tested for emotional stability.
* They were then randomly assigned to the role of either prisoner or guard.
How was realism increased for the prisoners?
Arrested at home by local police.
* Blindfolded, strip-searched, deloused, and issued a uniform and a number.
* Had to follow 16 strict rules, enforced by guards.
How was realism increased for the guards?
Given uniforms, including wooden clubs, handcuffs, keys, and mirror shades.
* Told they had complete power over prisoners (e.g., deciding when they could use the toilet).
How did the guards behave in the experiment?
Became increasingly brutal and aggressive.
* Used divide-and-rule tactics to break prisoner solidarity.
* Harassed prisoners with frequent headcounts (even at night).
* Enforced strict punishments for minor infractions.
How did the prisoners react to their roles?
Day 2: Rebellion—ripped uniforms, shouted, and swore at guards.
* Guards retaliated with fire extinguishers and regained control.
* After the rebellion, prisoners became subdued, depressed, and anxious.
* One prisoner was released on the first day due to psychological distress.
* Two more were released on the fourth day.
* One prisoner went on hunger strike, was force-fed, and then placed in solitary confinement (“the hole”).
Why was the experiment stopped early?
Intended to last 14 days, but stopped after 6 days due to extreme psychological distress.
* Guards became increasingly aggressive, and some appeared to enjoy their power.
What was the conclusion of the SPE?
The situation influences people’s behaviour more than their personality.
* Guards, prisoners, and even researchers conformed to their roles quickly.
How did Zimbardo control variables in the study?
Participants were emotionally stable and randomly assigned to roles.
* This ruled out individual personality differences as an explanation.
Why is control over variables a strength?
It increases internal validity, making conclusions about social roles more reliable.
What criticism did Banuazizi and Mohavedi (1975) make about the SPE?
Argued that participants were acting based on stereotypes.
* Example: A guard said he based his role on a brutal character from Cool Hand Luke.
How did Zimbardo respond to this criticism?
90% of prisoner conversations were about prison life.
* Prisoner 416 said he felt like he was in a real prison run by psychologists.
* This suggests the situation felt real, supporting the study’s internal validity.
How did Fromm (1973) challenge Zimbardo’s conclusions?
Argued that Zimbardo exaggerated the power of the situation and ignored personality factors.
* ⅓ of guards were brutal, ⅓ applied rules fairly, and ⅓ supported prisoners.
How does Fromm’s criticisms challenge Zimbardo’s conclusions?
It suggests participants exercised personal choices rather than just conforming to their roles.
What were the findings of the BBC Prison Study (Reicher & Haslam, 2006)?
Opposite results to Zimbardo.
* Prisoners took control and harassed the guards.
How did Reicher & Haslam explain their findings?
Guards failed to develop a shared identity.
* Prisoners identified as a group and resisted their assigned roles.
* Explained using Social Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1981).
How does Reicher & Haslam’s findings challenge Zimbardo’s findings?
It suggests conformity to social roles isn’t automatic but depends on group identification.
What ethical concerns were raised about the SPE?
Psychological harm: Participants suffered distress.
* Zimbardo’s dual role: Acted as both researcher and prison superintendent.
How did Zimbardo’s dual role affect the study?
When a participant asked to leave, Zimbardo spoke as a superintendent, not a researcher.
* He prioritised running the prison over participant welfare.
Why is Zimbardo’s dual role an ethical limitation?
Lack of protection from harm.
* Participants were not treated as volunteers in a study but as real prisoners.
