Zimbardo's Conformity to social roles

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate how freely people would conform to the roles of guard and prisoner in role paly exercise that recreate prison life.

Question 2

Sample

Answer 2

24 emotionally stable male university students

Question 3

Procedure Prisoner

Answer 3

Arrested at their homes
Taken to prison
Searched, deloused and dressed in smock uniforms

Question 4

Procedure Guard

Answer 4

Given uniforms
night sticks
mirrored glasses
Instructed to keep the prisoners under control but to use no physical violence

Question 4

Procedure

Answer 4

Randomly allocated each student to role of prisoner or guard
Uniforms created a loss of identify (de-individuation)
Zimbardo is the superintendent
If prisoner wanted to leave, have to go through parole.

Question 5

Findings

Answer 5

Prisoners rebelled and ripped their numbers off. Guards locked them in their cells and confiscating their blankets. Prisoners were humiliated and sleep deprived. Prisoners refer each and themselves as their prison number. Prisoners become subdued and depressed. Show signs of psychological disturbance. Experiment ended in 6 days instead of 2 weeks.

Question 6

Zimbardo Method

Answer 6

Lab experiment
Stanford uni psychology department into mock prison