Conformity to social roles: Zimbardo’s research

• What was the main question Zimbardo's research aimed to answer?

  Do prison guards behave brutally due to personality?
• What was the setting of Zimbardo's experiment?

  A mock prison in Stanford's basement
• How were participants selected for Zimbardo's study?

  They were advertised for and screened
• What roles were assigned to the participants in the study?

  Guards and prisoners
• What happened to the prisoners upon their arrest in the experiment?

  They were blindfolded and strip-searched
• How many rules did the prisoners have to follow?

  16 rules
• What items were the prisoners issued with?

  Uniforms and identification numbers
• What power did the guards have over the prisoners?

  Complete power over daily activities
• How did the guards approach their roles in the experiment?

  With enthusiasm and strictness
• What was the psychological impact on the prisoners?

  They became subdued and depressed
• What was a significant finding regarding the guards' behavior?

  Some guards behaved brutally, others did not
• What did Zimbardo's study suggest about the influence of roles on behavior?

  Roles significantly influence behavior
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment?

  Strengths:

  • Control over variables
  • Increased internal validity

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Lack of realism
  • Ethical issues with dual roles
• What did Blass and Milgram argue about the participants' behavior?

  Participants were play-acting, not conforming
• How did Zimbardo defend the realism of the situation?

  90% of conversations were about prison life
• What did Fromm accuse Zimbardo of regarding personality factors?

  Exaggerating situational influences, minimizing personality
• What was the outcome of the BBC prison study by Reicher and Haslam?

  Prisoners took control, not the guards
• What ethical issue arose from Zimbardo's dual roles?

  He prioritized prison management over participant welfare
• What did the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison highlight?

  The power of situation and social roles
• What are key terms related to conformity to social roles?

  • Social roles: Parts played in social groups
  • Expectations: Behaviors deemed appropriate for roles
• What is the definition of social roles?

  Parts people play in social groups
• What was Zimbardo's conclusion about social roles?

  Participants conformed to their assigned roles
• How did the guards' behavior differ in Zimbardo's study?

  Some were brutal, others were supportive
• What did Zimbardo's study reveal about the influence of situational pressures?

  They can lead to extreme behavior changes
• What was the main hypothesis of the psychologist studying gender roles in parenting?

  Mothers show more nurturing, fathers more aggression
• What is time sampling in observational studies?

  Recording behavior at predetermined intervals
• Why might the psychologist conduct a pilot study before the main observation?

  To refine methods and identify issues
• What are two ethical issues the psychologist must consider?

  Informed consent and confidentiality
• How could the psychologist address ethical issues before the investigation?

  By obtaining informed consent and ensuring confidentiality
• How does conformity relate to the psychologist's hypothesis?

  It predicts traditional gender role behaviors
• What was the significance of the findings from the Stanford prison experiment?

  They highlighted the impact of situational factors on behavior
• What does social identity theory explain in the context of the BBC prison study?

  Why prisoners took control over guards
• What was the outcome of the Stanford prison experiment?

  The study was stopped after six days
• What did Zimbardo's dual roles in the study lead to?

  Conflicts of interest regarding participant welfare
• What did the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison reveal about ordinary people?

  They can commit evil acts under certain conditions
• What is the significance of the Stanford prison experiment in psychology?

  It illustrates the power of situational influences
• How did Zimbardo's findings contribute to our understanding of social roles?

  They demonstrated how roles can dictate behavior
• What did Zimbardo's research suggest about the nature of evil?

  Evil can arise from situational pressures
• What is the relevance of Zimbardo's study to contemporary issues?

  It helps understand abuses of power in institutions
• How does Zimbardo's research relate to the concept of conformity?

  It shows conformity to social roles influences behavior