ZIMBARDO

• How did Zimbardo investigate social roles?

  Mock prison in stanford university
• How many participants took part?

  21 male student volunteers

  selected by psychological testing that showed them to be ‘emotionally stable’

  randomly allocated guard or prisoner
• how were social roles encouraged?

  UNIFORM - prisoners strip searched, given uniform and number, encouraged de-individualisation. guards had own uniform with handcuffs and mirrored sunglasses

  INSTRUCTIONS - prisoners told couldn’t leave, had to ask for parole. Guards told they had complete power over prisoners
• what were the findings of the study?

  Guards played role enthusiastically, treated prisoners harshly

  prisoners rebelled within 2 days, guards retaliated and harassed prisoners

  Guards behaviour threatened prisoners psychological and physical health
• how did the guards behaviours threaten the prisoners psychological and physical health?

  after rebellion prisoners became subdued, anxious and depressed

  3 prisoners released early as showed signs of psychological disturbance

  one went on hunger strike

  study stopped after 6 days in stead of intended 14
• what were the conclusions of Zimbardos experiment?

  social roles are powerful influences on behaviour, most conformed strongly

  guards became brutal, prisoners submissive
• strength of the SPE?

  control over key variables - emotionally stable ps, random allocation. roles by chance which increases internal validity
• limitations of the SPE?

  lacked realism of true prison - Banuazizi and Mohavedi suggested Ps were play acting, their performances reflected stereotypes

  COUNTERPOINT behaved as if it was real, 90% of conversations were about prison life, suggests role replication

  Exaggerated power roles - only 1/3 of guards behaved brutally, another third applied rules fairly. rest supported prisoners