Zimbardo's study - Conformity to social roles Flashcards
Where did Zimbardo’s study take place?
Stanford University
Who took part in the study?
21 white American male volunteers
How were they assigned their roles of prisoner or guard?
Randomly
How did prisoners lose their personal identity?
- They were given smocks and a cap
- They were identified by a number
What uniform were the guards given?
- A formal outfit
- Handcuffs
- Mirror shades
What happened after two days?
The prisoners rebelled and began to shout and swear at the guards
How did the guards deal with the prisoners rebelling?
They harassed them and would conduct random headcounts to show their power
What happened to the prisoners’ behaviour after the rebellion?
They became depressed and anxious
What had happened to the guards’ behaviour by the end of the study?
They had become more aggressive and had began to identify more closely with their social roles
How long did the study last and how long was it meant to last?
It lasted 6 days but was meant to last 14 days
What is a strength of Zimbardo’s research?
Him and his colleagues had a large amount of control over key variables:
- Random assignment of roles
- Only allowed emotionally stable individuals to take part
- Increased internal validity
What are the two limitations of Zimbardo’s research?
Lack of realism:
- It was argued that participants were play acting rather than actually conforming
- One prisoner based his behaviour off of a character from a film
Exaggerates power of social roles:
- Only 1/3 of guards acted brutally.
- Some guards sympathised with the prisoners and gave them cigarettes and privileges
Definition of social roles
The ‘parts’ people play as members of various social groups
