Zimbardo

• Zimbardo - procedure


  He set up a mock prison in the basement of the Psychology department of Stanford University - referred to as the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE)

  He advertised for students to volunteer and selected 21 'emotionally stable' students after extensive emotional testing

  They were then randomly assigned prisoner or guard

  The prisoners were arrested outside their homes by local police and taken to the 'prison'
• Zimbardo - procedure

  The uniforms led to de-individuation:

  Prisoners: loose smock and cap - identified by number not name

  Guards: shirts, mirrored shades and handcuffs

  The prisoners were encouraged to identify with their role through tasks and language, eg: if they wanted to leave they had to 'apply for parole'

  Th guards were reminded that they had complete control over the prison
• Zimbardo - findings


  He found that the guards conformed to their social roles enthusiastically and treated prisoners harshly

  Prisoners rebelled after 2 days + guards retaliated

  Guards threatened prisoners psychological and physical health

  Study was stopped after 6 days instead of 14
• Zimbardo - conclusions


  Social roles have had a strong influence on behaviour

  Social roles were easily taken on by all participants
• Social roles


  Parts people play in their social group and the expectations of what is appropriate behaviour in those roles
• Strength of the SPE


  Zimbardo had complete control over key variables - for example the selection of participants (emotionally stable)

  The researcher could easily rule out personality differences that could affect findings

  This increased internal validity of the study - more confident in drawing conclusions
• Strength of SPE


  It explains the behaviour in Abu Ghraib - serious human rights violations by US army against Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib

  Prisoners were tortured, sexually abused and some were murdered

  Results of experiment can be used to explain current events and to strengthen ability to explain human behaviour
• Limitation of SPE


  There is a lack of realism in the experiment as the participants knew that this was not a real prison

  Participants were play acting rather than genuinely conforming to a role

  Participants' performances may have been based off stereotypes of how prisoners and guards are supposed to behave

  Suggests that the SPE tells us very little about conformity to social roles in actual prisons
• Limitation of SPE


  It exaggerates the power of roles

  Only 1/3 of guards behaved in a brutal manner

  1/3 tried to apply rules fairly

  The rest tried to help and support prisoners

  Most guards were able to resist situational pressures to conform to a brutal role