Zimbardos study

Question 1

Participants

Answer 1

• 24 male ppts
• American
• conducted in Stanford university in the psychology basement

Question 2

Method

Answer 2

-ppts were collected from their house in police cars to add reality to the experiment
- ppts were also screened for psychological disturbances that they may face
- once arrived they were randomly allocated to one of two groups - prisoner’s or guards
- prisoners wore a white gown with their prison number
- guards were given a uniform with mirrored glasses and a bat
- study was to last 2 weeks as Zimbardo as the superintendent

Question 3

Limitations

Answer 3

Demand characteristics
- Ppts knew that they were being observed so they may have changed their behaviour
- in post interviews a guard confessed to watching the movie 2cool hand Luke” and based their behaviour on the movie
- reduces validity of the study as behaviour seems unnatural

Ethical issues
- ppts suffered from psychological harm

Population valdity
- unabke to generalise to other populations

Question 4

Strengths

Answer 4

practical application
- Changed the way the us prisons are operated e.g separating youth from adult

Lab experiment
-High levels of control