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.