Zimbardo (Stanford prison experiment)

• What is Zimbardo's research primarily about?


  It examines the effects of social roles on behavior through the Stanford prison experiment.
• What is the Stanford prison experiment (SPE)?

  It is a study that investigated the psychological effects of perceived power in a simulated prison environment.
• What are some findings related to social roles from Zimbardo's research?

  Participants quickly adopted their assigned roles, leading to abusive behaviors.
• What conclusions can be drawn from Zimbardo's research regarding social roles?

  Social roles can significantly influence behavior, often leading to extreme actions.
• How can Zimbardo's research be applied to understand the events at Abu Ghraib?

  • Personnel conformed to abusive social roles
  • Situational factors influenced behavior
  • Power dynamics led to human rights violations
• What are some evaluation points for Zimbardo's research?

  Control, Lack of realism, Exaggerates the power of roles, Gender roles
• How does Zimbardo's study illustrate the concept of social roles?

  It shows how individuals can adopt roles that lead to extreme behaviors in a controlled environment.
• What are some criticisms of Zimbardo's research regarding social roles?

  Critics argue it lacks realism and exaggerates the power of roles.
• What is an alternative explanation for the findings of Zimbardo's research?

  Some suggest that individual personality traits may also play a significant role in behavior.
• What is the main focus of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  Investigating conformity to social roles
• What prompted Zimbardo to conduct the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  Reports of prison guard brutality towards prisoners
• What was Zimbardo trying to determine through his study?


  Whether guards are naturally brutal or if the situation causes such behavior
• What were the two factors Zimbardo wanted to examine in relation to guard behavior?


  Internal dispositional factors and external situational factors
• How many male university students participated in the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  21 male university students
• How were participants selected for the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  They were chosen based on physical and mental stability from 75 volunteers
• What role did Zimbardo take in the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  He acted as the warden of the mock prison
• What measures did Zimbardo take to enhance the realism of the experiment?


  Participants were arrested at home by real police and fingerprinted
• How long was the Stanford Prison Experiment originally supposed to last?


  Two weeks
• What happened to the experiment's duration?

  It was terminated after six days due to extreme conditions
• What was the main reason for the early termination of the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  Extreme adverse reactions from the prisoners
• Who convinced Zimbardo to end the experiment early?


  A fellow postgraduate student
• What were some of the symptoms displayed by prisoners during the experiment?


  Uncontrollable crying, anxiety, and depression
• What conclusion did Zimbardo draw about conformity to social roles?


  People quickly conform to social roles even against their moral principles
• What did Zimbardo conclude about the influence of situational factors?


  Situational factors were largely responsible for the behavior observed
• What criticism did Zimbardo face regarding individual differences?


  He was accused of exaggerating situational influences and ignoring personality
• What did the behavior of the guards in the study suggest?


  There were significant variations in how guards treated prisoners
• What did Haslam and Reicher's 2006 study find in relation to Zimbardo's findings?


  Participants did not conform to their roles automatically and challenged authority
• What is social identity theory in the context of Haslam and Reicher's study?


  It suggests that group identity influences behavior, not just assigned roles
• What real-life applications can be drawn from the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  • Explains real-world prison abuses, e.g., Abu Ghraib
  • Highlights situational factors leading to abusive behavior
  • Provides insights to prevent future atrocities
• What ethical issues are associated with Zimbardo's study?


  Participants experienced extreme psychological distress and dehumanization
• What was the payment for participants in the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  $15 a day
• How did the guards' behavior change over the course of the experiment?


  They became increasingly abusive towards the prisoners
• What was the impact of the prisoners' rebellion in the study?

  The rebellion was quickly crushed by the guards
• How did the prisoners respond to the guards' treatment over time?


  They became increasingly submissive and accepted their fate
• What was one of the extreme reactions exhibited by prisoners?

  Uncontrollable crying
• What did Zimbardo's conclusions imply about human behavior?


  Situational factors can lead individuals to act against their moral principles
• How did Zimbardo's role as warden affect his perspective on the experiment?


  He became blind to the cruelty of the conditions he created
• How long did the Stanford prison experiment last?


  6 days
• How many male university students participated in Zimbardo's study?


  21 male university students
• How were participants selected for the Stanford prison experiment?


  They were selected based on physical and mental stability from 75 volunteers