Conformity - Zimbardo

• 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 the 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 the experiment?

  They attempted to resist the guards
• What did Zimbardo claim about his own behavior during the experiment?

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

  A socially defined pattern of behavior expected of individuals in a certain position
• What are some examples of social roles mentioned in the material?

  Doctor, teacher, police officer, politician, student, artist, prisoner, correctional officer
• What stereotypical behavior is expected of a doctor?

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

  Confident and acts with authority
• How does identification type of conformity relate to social roles?

  It involves adopting group behaviors to feel part of the group
• What did Zimbardo claim about aggression in the American prison system?

  It was situational, not dispositional
• What was the setup of Zimbardo's mock prison?

  It was created in the basement of Stanford University
• How many participants were ultimately selected for the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  24 participants
• What rights did the prisoners have during the experiment?

  Free meals, supervised toilet trips, and family visits
• What was the role of the guards in the experiment?

  To manage the prison without resorting to violence
• What happened to the prisoners as the experiment progressed?

  They became passive and showed significant distress
• How long did the Stanford Prison Experiment last?

  6 days
• What are the positive evaluations of Zimbardo's study?

  • Careful selection of participants
  • Random assignment to roles
  • High control reducing participant variables
  • Practical applications to understand institutional abuse
• What is one famous real-life 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 distress
• What did the replication study by Richel and Hlin find?

  Participants did not conform to social roles as expected
• What criticism is made regarding Zimbardo's dual role in the experiment?

  It likely led to experimental bias
• What are demand characteristics in the context of Zimbardo's study?

  Participants acted in ways they thought Zimbardo wanted
• What did recent analyses reveal about the instructions given to the guards?

  Guards were directly instructed to be highly aggressive
• What is a key takeaway regarding ethical safeguards in studies?

  Studies must ensure participants' well-being and rights
• What are the criticisms of Zimbardo's study?

  • Ethical concerns regarding participant harm
  • Rare replications due to ethical issues
  • Experimental bias from Zimbardo's dual role
  • Limited influence of social roles on behavior