Conformity to social roles: Zimbardo’s research

• What is the name of the famous psychology study conducted by Zimbardo?

  Stanford Prison Experiment
• What was the main focus of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment?

  Investigating causes of prison violence
• In Zimbardo's study, what roles were assigned to the participants?

  Prison inmates and prison officers
• How did Zimbardo interpret the behavior of participants in his study?

  Behavior conformed to defined social roles
• What was the initial reaction of the prisoners in the experiment?

  They attempted to resist the guards
• What happened to the prisoners as the experiment progressed?

  They became submissive and passive
• How long was the Stanford Prison Experiment originally planned to last?

  7 to 14 days
• What were the rights of the prisoners during the experiment?

  Free meals, supervised toilet trips, family visits
• What was a significant outcome of the guards' behavior in the study?

  Some became sadistically aggressive
• What was Zimbardo's role in the experiment?

  Chief prison superintendent and lead investigator
• What did Zimbardo claim about the situational power of the prison environment?

  It led to aggressive behaviors in participants
• What are the stereotypical behaviors expected of various social roles?

  • Doctor: Empathetic and caring
  • Teacher: Knowledgeable and communicative
  • Police Officer: Confident and authoritative
  • Politician: Persuasive and charismatic
  • Student: Curious and hardworking
  • Artist: Unconventional and passionate
  • Prisoner: Submissive or dangerous
  • Correctional Officer: Tough and domineering
• What type of conformity involves adopting group beliefs to feel part of the group?

  Identification type of conformity
• What did Zimbardo argue about aggression in the American prison system?

  It was situational, not dispositional
• What was a key methodological strength of Zimbardo's study?

  Random assignment of participants to roles
• How did the findings of the Stanford Prison Experiment apply to real-life situations?

  Helped understand institutional abuse cases
• What was a significant ethical concern regarding the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  Participants suffered significant psychological harm
• What did the BBC replication study by Reicher and Haslam find?

  Participants acted according to their personalities
• What criticism was made regarding Zimbardo's dual role in the experiment?

  It likely led to experimental bias
• What did recent analyses reveal about the instructions given to the guards?

  Guards were instructed to be highly aggressive
• What was a consequence of the participants feeling they had no right to withdraw?

  They experienced significant distress
• What are the ethical safeguards that should be in place for psychological studies?

  • Informed consent
  • Right to withdraw
  • Protection from harm
  • Debriefing after the study
  • Confidentiality of participant data
• How did Zimbardo's study influence military and law enforcement training?

  It is taught to reduce likelihood of abuse