SI - Zimbardo prison study

• What is the name of the famous psychology study conducted by Zimbardo?


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


  To investigate the causes of prison violence
• How did Zimbardo assign roles to participants in his experiment?


  He randomly assigned half to be prisoners and half to be guards
• What behavior did Zimbardo observe in the prison officers during the experiment?


  They became dominant and aggressive
• What was the initial reaction of the prisoners in Zimbardo's study?


  They attempted to resist and barricaded themselves in their cells
• How did Zimbardo's role as prison superintendent affect the study?


  He prioritized running the prison over the well-being of participants
• What is a social role?


  • A socially defined pattern of behavior
  • Expected behaviors for individuals in specific social positions
  • Examples include roles like doctor, teacher, and prisoner
• What stereotypical behavior is expected of a doctor?


  Empathetic and caring
• What stereotypical behavior is expected of a police officer?


  Confident and acting with authority
• What stereotypical behavior is expected of a prisoner?


  Submissive or potentially dangerous
• How does identification type of conformity relate to social roles?


  People adopt group behaviors to feel part of the group
• What did Zimbardo claim about aggression in the American prison system?


  It was situational rather than dispositional
• What was the duration of the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  7 to 14 days
• What rights did the prisoners have during the experiment?


  Free meals, supervised toilet trips, and family visits
• What was the outcome for many prisoners during the experiment?


  They experienced significant distress and some had mental breakdowns
• Why was the study ended early?

  Due to the extreme responses of the prisoners and guards
• What are the strengths of Zimbardo's study methodology?


  • Careful selection of participants
  • Random assignment to roles
  • High control reducing participant variables
• How have the findings of the Stanford Prison Experiment been applied in real life?


  To understand and reduce institutional abuse in settings like the military
• What was one famous example of institutional abuse related to Zimbardo's findings?

  The American Military prison of Abu Ghraib
• What ethical concerns are associated with Zimbardo's study?


  Participants suffered harm and felt they had no right to withdraw
• What did the replication study by Reicher and Haslam find about social roles?


  Participants acted more in line with their personalities than conforming to roles
• What criticism did Zimbardo face regarding his dual role in the study?


  It likely led to experimental bias
• What did recent analyses reveal about the instructions given to the guards?

  Researchers directly instructed them to be highly aggressive
• What does Zimbardo's work highlight about ethical safeguards in research?


  It demonstrates the importance of ensuring studies are conducted ethically
• What resources are available for patrons of the Psych Boost app?


  • Over 17 hours of exclusive exam tutorial videos
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• What is the purpose of the Psych Boost app?


  • To provide study resources for psychology
  • To help students prepare for exams
  • To offer interactive learning tools