To investigate the extent to which people would conform to the roles of guard and prisoners in a role playing simulation of prison life.
He also wanted to examine whether behaviour displayed in prisons was due to internal dispositional factors, the people themselves or internal situations, the environment and conditions of the prison.
What was Zimbardo's method? (AMRC).
In Stanford University - 21 male student volunteers (only emotions stable ones).
P's were randomly assigned to roles - prisoners were arrested by local police in their own homes, in broad daylight.
Guards were instructed to run prison without using psychical violence.
Prisoners were dehumanised/deindivuation.
Was set to run for 2 weeks.
What was Zimbardo's results? (AMRC).
Prisoners rebelled after 2 days - guards got it under control but started punishing them and humiliate (diffusion of responsibility).
Some prisoners exhibited passive behaviour; crying, depression, anxiety and were released after 5 days. Study continued for another day and was discontinued - was meant to last 2 weeks.
What was Zimbardo's conclusion? (AMRC).
People conform quickly to social roles, even when they go against their moral principles. Situational factors were largely responsible for the behaviour found, none of the P's had ever demonstrated these behaviours previously.
