zimbardo's prison experiment DONT DO

Question 1

procedure

Answer 1

• set up a mock prison in basement of psy department at stanford uni
• students willingly volunteered after and sledged after doing psy tests to see if they were emotionally stable
• students were randomly assigned to prisoners or guards and prisoners were arrested in the home by local police (to heighten realism)
• They were blindfolded strip-searched and had uniforms and only called by the numbers
• They had 16 rules to follow which were in forced by the guards
• God had their own uniform, wooden club, handcuff, keys, mirror shades
• They were told they had complete power all the prisoners including when they go to the toilet

Question 2

what was the aim of the study

Answer 2

do prison guards behave brutally because of their personalities (DISPOSITION) or does the situation create such behaviour

Question 3

what happened two days in

Answer 3

• prisoners rebelled against harsh treatment-> ripped their uniforms, shouted and swore at guards who retaliated with fire extinguishers
• guards constantly harassed them, highlighting difference in social roles

Question 4

what happened to the prisoners

Answer 4

became subdued, depressed and anxious

Question 5

what happened on the first day

Answer 5

one prisoner released after showing signs of psychological disturbance

Question 6

what happened on the fourth day

Answer 6

two prisoners released

Question 7

what did one prisoner do

Answer 7

went on hunger strike, guards tried force feeing him, punished him by putting him in the ‘hole’ (tiny dark closet)

Question 8

guards liked the power and they increasingly..

Answer 8

identified with the role of guard more and more

Question 9

conclusion

Answer 9

Because the guards were placed in a position of authority, they began to act the way, even though they normally would not act like this in the day-to-day life
-therefore the findings support the situational explanation of behaviour rather than the dispositional one