Zimbardo Research

Question 1

Social roles definition

Answer 1

The expectations about the parts people play in social groups

Question 2

Zimbardos Aim

Answer 2

To find out if police brutality was because of their personality or their situation

Question 3

Procudure details (6)

Answer 3

• Basement of Stanford University
• 24 volunteers
• Assigned prisoner or guard
• Arrested from homes
• Full uniforms
• 16 rules

Question 4

Zimbardo Findings

Answer 4

• Stopped after 6 days instead of 14 due to threatening physical and psychological harm
• Initial rebelliation
• Guards harrassed prisoners (headcounts in middle of night)
• Prisoners becamse anxious, some had to leave
• Prisoner went on hunger strike and was sent to “the hole”
• Guards became more and more brutal

Question 5

Zimbardo conlusion

Answer 5

Situations of social role are powerful in shaping behaviour

Question 6

Evaluate Zimbardos research

Answer 6

+ Provides explaination: Explains real-life situations like Abu Ghraib
T: Explanitory power

• Lacked realism:
  The participants may have been play-acting , real purpose was easy to see
  T: Reduces internal validity
• Ethical Issues: Issues with right-to-withdraw, participants did not know if Zimbardo was a researcher or a warden
  T: Could lead to long-term mental health issues
  CC: Contributed to the introduction of ethical guidelines