Cards (25)

    • What is conformity to social roles?
      It is when someone adopts particular behaviors and beliefs in a specific social situation.
    • How might a student behave differently in various social situations?
      A student might be hard working and polite in class but behave differently when out with friends.
    • What was the name of the experiment conducted by Zimbardo to study conformity to social roles?
      The Stanford prison experiment.
    • Where was the Stanford prison experiment conducted?
      In the basement of the psychology department at Stanford University.
    • How many men were selected for the Stanford prison experiment?
      21 men.
    • How were participants selected for the Stanford prison experiment?
      They were selected from 75 students who tested as emotionally stable.
    • How much were the participants paid for their involvement in the experiment?
      $15 a day.
    • How were the roles of prisoner and guard assigned in the experiment?
      Participants were randomly assigned to play the role of prisoner or guard.
    • What methods were used to encourage conformity to social roles in the experiment?
      Through uniforms and instructions about their behavior.
    • What did the prisoners wear in the Stanford prison experiment?
      Smocks and caps, and they identified with numbers.
    • What did the guards wear in the experiment?
      Handcuffs and mirrored shades to signify their status.
    • What was the intended duration of the Stanford prison experiment?
      Two weeks.
    • How long did the Stanford prison experiment actually last?
      Six days.
    • What role did Zimbardo play in the experiment?
      He acted as the prison warden.
    • What instruction did Zimbardo give to the guards regarding their behavior?
      No physical violence was permitted, but they must maintain order.
    • What did Zimbardo's research reveal about people's identification with social roles?
      People quickly identify with their social roles.
    • What happened to the prisoners within days of the experiment starting?
      They rebelled, but the rebellion was quickly crushed by the guards.
    • How did the guards treat the prisoners as the experiment progressed?
      The guards grew increasingly abusive towards the prisoners.
    • What extreme actions did the guards take against the prisoners?
      They dehumanized the prisoners, waking them at night and forcing them to clean toilets with their bare hands.
    • How many prisoners were released early due to adverse reactions?
      Five prisoners.
    • What does the early termination of the experiment suggest about its conditions?
      It indicates that the conditions were harmful and unsustainable.
    • What are the strengths and limitations of Zimbardo's experiment?
      Strengths:
      • Control over key variables (selection of emotionally stable participants)
      • Random assignment to roles increases internal validity

      Limitations:
      • Lack of realism compared to actual prisons
      • Participants may have been play-acting based on stereotypes
    • What did some researchers argue about the realism of the Stanford prison experiment?
      They argued that participants were merely play-acting rather than genuinely conforming.
    • How did one of the guards justify his behavior during the experiment?
      He claimed to have based his role on a brutal character from the film "Cool Hand Luke."
    • What does the behavior of the prisoners during the experiment suggest about conformity to social roles?
      It suggests that individuals may conform to roles based on societal expectations.