Zimbardo's Prison Experiment

• Who conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  Philip Zimbardo
• What was the main aim of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment?

  To investigate the psychological effects of perceived power in a simulated prison environment
• How many male college students participated in the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  24 male college students
• What roles were assigned to the participants in the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  Participants were assigned roles as prisoners or guards
• How long was the Stanford Prison Experiment originally planned to last?

  Two weeks
• Why was the Stanford Prison Experiment terminated early?

  It was terminated after six days due to concerning outcomes, including sadistic behavior from guards and extreme stress in prisoners
• What are the ethical concerns raised by Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment?

  • Lack of informed consent
  • Psychological harm to participants
  • Lack of ability to withdraw
  • Deception in participant recruitment
  • Blurred lines between researcher and subject
• What is one major ethical concern regarding informed consent in Zimbardo's experiment?

  Participants weren't fully informed about the potential psychological risks
• How did deception play a role in Zimbardo's experiment?

  Participants were arrested at home without warning, which is considered excessive deception
• What are some arguments defending the ethics of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  • Scientific value of insights gained
  • Unforeseeable outcomes of participant reactions
  • Voluntary participation of subjects
  • Reflection of real-world prison conditions
  • Ethical standards of the time
• What is one argument in defense of the Stanford Prison Experiment's ethics related to its scientific value?

  The experiment provided valuable insights into human behavior and power dynamics
• Why might Zimbardo have been unable to predict the extreme reactions of participants?

  Because the outcomes were unforeseeable
• What was a key aspect of participant involvement in the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  Participants initially volunteered for the study
• How did the Stanford Prison Experiment reflect real-world conditions?

  It mirrored actual prison conditions, providing realistic data
• How did the ethical standards of the time affect the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  The experiment met the less stringent ethical guidelines of the early 1970s
• What are the current ethical standards in psychological research?

  • Informed consent is mandatory
  • Right to withdraw at any time
  • Debriefing after the study
  • Minimizing potential harm
  • Approval from ethical review boards (IRBs)