Zimbardo's Research Flashcards
Procedure
Aim = investigate how people would conform to roles in simulated prison environment.
Chose most stable 24 from 70 who responded to advertisement. Randomly allocated them to either guard or prisoner. Guards wore guards uniform and sunglasses. Prisoners wore smocks and bald cap. Turned Stanford Uni’s basement into prison. Started by having the prisoners arrested from their home, stripped, deloused, and processed in real police station (unaware). Then they entered the ‘prison’ and they played their roles.
Findings
Almost instant effect where they conformed to roles immediately, with the guards being aggressive, and prisoners passive. Prisoners showed symptoms of distress and in first 5 days 5 prisoners were released due to extreme emotional disturbance. 6th day it was shut down. Concluded everyone conformed to social role which shows situational power of prison.
Strength
Controlled setting.
Random allocation so less chance of investigator effects, most stable so less chance of participant variables.
High internal validity.
However… overreaction of automatic response as only 1/3 of guards were violent suggesting not an overwhelming pressure to conform.
Weakness (R)
Not realistic of a prison.
Banuazzi and Mohavedi argued play acting and did a performance based on stereotypes, one say did a character from Cool Hand Luke.
Conform to stereotypes and could be used to explain why rioted as what they believe real prisoners did. Demand characteristics.
However… Zimbardo argues they did think it was real as 90% of conversations between prisoners was about prison life and one said thought it was a prison run by psychologists.
Weakness (E)
Broke several ethical guidelines.
Protected from harm - psychological distress and extreme anxiety. Deception & Informed consent - didn’t know being arrested in home.
Cared very little about implications on participants.
However… fully debriefed afterwards and followed up a year later, making sure didn’t have long lasting psychological distress.
