evaluation of zimbardo

• control over key variables

  selection of participants was random

  ruled out individual personality differences

  increased internal validity and confident conclusions

  the roles is the reason they behaved that way not their personalities
• didn't have realism of true prison

  play acting rather than conforming

  based on stereotypes on how to behave

  a guard said he based his character off a movie

  little information about conformity to social roles in actual prisons
• did behave as if prison was real

  talked about prison life

  impossible to leave their "sentences"

  did replicate social roles of prisoners and guards
• conforming to roles comes naturally and easily

  being a guard means they will inevitably behave brutally because that is the behaviour expected

  social identity theory argues that the guars had to actively identify with their social roles to do what they did
• deception

  didn't know the details of the conditions

  didn't know they were going to be arrested from their house

  didn't know the roles they were going to be given
• right to withdraw

  participants asked to leave but were not allowed

  very hard to leave
• protection from harm

  2 had nervous breakdowns

  physical and mental harm