Zimbardo

• What was the aim of the Stanford Prison Study?

  To see if people conform to social roles
• Who were the participants in the Stanford Prison Study?

  Male psychology students from Stanford University
• What was the living condition for the prisoners?

  Locked in cells for 23 hours a day
• How were participants allocated to their roles in the study?

  They were randomly allocated to groups
• What was the significance of the prisoners being referred to by number?

  To dehumanize them and strip identity
• What roles were participants assigned in the study?

  Prisoners and prison guards
• How were the prisoners treated upon arrival?

  They were stripped, deloused, and uniformed
• What did the prison guards wear during the study?

  Uniforms, sticks, and mirrored sunglasses
• How long was the Stanford Prison Study intended to last?

  Two weeks
• How long did the study actually last?

  Six days
• What were some of the negative effects on the prisoners?

  Two had nervous breakdowns, one went on hunger strike
• What behavior did the prisoners exhibit during the study?

  They became apathetic and compliant
• What conclusion did Zimbardo draw from the study?

  Participants conformed to their assigned social roles
• What is a social role?

  A part you play requiring specific behavior
• How does deindividuation relate to the guards' behavior?

  It caused them to lose personal responsibility
• Why might the guards have acted sadistically?

  They lost their sense of identity and responsibility
• What were the main findings of the Stanford Prison Study?

  • Guards became brutal and sadistic
  • Prisoners showed signs of distress
  • Study ended after 6 days due to extreme reactions
• What are the implications of the Stanford Prison Study on understanding social roles?

  • Highlights conformity to social roles
  • Demonstrates impact of situational factors on behavior
  • Raises ethical concerns in psychological research
• When was the experiment

  1971