Zimbardo - Stanford Prison Experiment

Question 1

Who conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment

Answer 1

Zimbardo

Question 2

Aim of Experiment

Answer 2

Investigated the effect of roles and status on behaviour

Question 3

How did the guards behave?

Answer 3

Participants assigned guard roles became abusive and harassed prisoners

Question 4

How did prisoners behave?

Answer 4

Participants assigned prisoner roles became submissive

Question 5

Significance of Experiment

Answer 5

People readily comply with social roles - supports situational (not dispositional) explanation of behaviour

Question 6

Strength of Experiment

Answer 6

Changed way prisons were run in USA

Question 7

Limitation of Experiment

Answer 7

Lacks population validity (only male college participants)

Question 8

Ethical Considerations of Experiment

Answer 8

Participants suffered psychological harm and were not debriefed post experiment

Question 8

Ethical Considerations of Experiment

Answer 8

Participants suffered psychological harm and were not debriefed post experiment