Zimbardo's experiment Flashcards
what are social roles
-the behaviour patterns expected of individuals in different situations and settings based on their specific position within a social unit
what do social roles do
-help structure interactions within groups and crucial in shaping individual behaviour, identity or social dynamics
where did Zimbardo do his experiment
-a mock prison built in the basement of stand ford uni
previous theory to why people are brutal vs Zimbardo’s theory
-previous= dispositional attribution
-Zimbardo= argues that it is the situation that makes people act the way they do rather than dispositional factors
what is dispositional attribution
-it is not the environment that makes people act in the way the do
-rather it is the dispositions of those who live and work there
who played the prisoners and guards and what did they have to do
-21 men who were student volunteers that were tested to be “emotionally stable”
-had to conform to social roles through the uniforms and instructions abt their behaviour
how did uniforms affect the prisoners and guards
-prisoners given loose smock and cap, identified by numbers
-guards had mirror shades, military uniform, handcuffs
what was the point in the uniform
-to create a loss of personal identity called de-individuation meaning they would be more likely to conform
example of how prisoners encouraged to identify with their role
-instead of leaving the study early, prisoners could “apply for parole”
-guards reminded they had complete power over prisoners
what happened within two days
-the prisoners rebelled, such as ripping their uniform, shouting, swearing
how did guards react to rebellion
-retaliated with fire extinguishers
examples of how guards mistreated the prisoners
-using the “divide and rule tactic” to divide the prisoners
-harassed prisoners through headcounts (at night), humiliating them
-through the degradation process
what happened to multiple prisoners after the rebellion
-they were released
-one showed symptoms of psychological disturbance
-one went on hunger strike
what did guards do in response to hunger strike
-force feed and then punished by putting in “the hole”
why did the experiment have to stop
-other psychologist had reviewed the experiment and cut it after 6 days rather than intended 14
-Zimbardo played both superintendent and experimenter so couldn’t see the brutality
what is it called when prisoners became fully immersed into the norms that they lost their identity and personal responsiblity
-deindividuation
conclusions related to social roles
-social roles had a strong influence on behaviour
-guards became brutal and prisoners became submissive
-even volunteers who came in (such as prison chaplain) found themselves behaving as if they were in a prison and not a psychological study
