zimbardo

• Who conducted the study on conformity to social roles?


  Philip Zimbardo
• What was the aim of Zimbardo's study?


  To investigate how readily people would conform to social roles in a simulated environment
• How many participants were involved in Zimbardo's study?


  24 American male undergraduate students
• What environment was created for Zimbardo's study?

  A simulated prison in the basement of Stanford University psychology building
• What roles were assigned to the participants in Zimbardo's study?

  Guard or prisoner
• How were the prisoners referred to in Zimbardo's study?

  By their assigned number
• What props were given to the guards in Zimbardo's study?

  Handcuffs and sunglasses
• What was the restriction placed on the prisoners in Zimbardo's study?

  They were only allowed in the hallway and to the toilet
• What was the ethical guideline followed regarding physical violence in Zimbardo's study?

  No physical violence was permitted
• How quickly did participants identify with their roles in Zimbardo's study?

  Identification occurred very fast
• What behavior did guards exhibit towards prisoners in Zimbardo's study?

  They began to harass and torment prisoners
• How did prisoners respond to the guards in Zimbardo's study?

  They would snitch on other prisoners to please the guards
• What does the behavior of prisoners suggest about their perception of the prison?

  They believed that the prison was real
• How did the social roles become internalized in Zimbardo's study?


  Guards became more demanding, while prisoners became more submissive
• What are the strengths of Zimbardo's study?


  • Real-life applications in prison management
  • Participants were fully debriefed
  • Led to formal recognition of ethical guidelines
• What are the weaknesses of Zimbardo's study?

  • Lacks ecological validity due to demand characteristics
  • Limited population validity (only American male students)
  • Ethical issues including lack of informed consent and psychological harm
• What does the term 'demand characteristics' refer to in the context of Zimbardo's study?

  Participants may change their behavior to please the experimenter
• How did the study's design affect the validity of Zimbardo's findings?

  Participants claimed to act according to expectations rather than genuinely adopting roles
• What is the implication of the findings from Zimbardo's study on modern prison systems?

  It changed the way US prisons are run to prevent negative behaviors
• What ethical guideline was breached in Zimbardo's study?

  Lack of fully informed consent due to deception
• What psychological harm did participants experience in Zimbardo's study?

  Stress, anxiety, emotional distress, and embarrassment
• What was the outcome for one prisoner in Zimbardo's study?

  He had to be released due to excess distress
• What does the term 'institutionalization' refer to in the context of Zimbardo's study?


  It refers to the effects of being in a highly controlled environment like a prison
• How did Zimbardo's study contribute to ethical guidelines in research?

  It led to formal recognition of ethical guidelines for future studies
• What does the term 'participant reactivity' refer to in the context of Zimbardo's study?

  Participants may change their behavior due to being observed
• How did the study's design affect the generalizability of Zimbardo's findings?


  The sample was limited to American male students, affecting generalizability
• What cultural factors might influence conformity to social roles?

  Collectivist cultures may be more conformist due to group values