Conformity to Social Roles - Zimbardo

• outline Zimbardo Prison Study

  - 21 physically + mentally stable men chosen from 75 volunteers, via newspaper advert

  - random selection: 10 guards, 11 prisoners

  - prisoners given realistic arrest by local police, fingerprinted,stripped,deloused; as well as prison uniform and number (dehumanisation)

  - guards had complete control: given uniform,clubs,handcuffs,sunglasses to avoid eye contact
• results, Zimbardo

  - experiment supposed to last for 2 weeks but only continued for 6 days

  - prisoners and guards conformed to their social roles quickly, after 2 days prisoners began to revolt due to poor treatment

  - 1 prisoner developed a severe rash and had to be hospitalised

  - extreme behaviour of 'stable students' suggests prison environments have the situational power to change behaviour
• A03, Zimbardo

  - Zimbardo played a dual role: head investigator and prison superintendent, resulted in a loss of scientific objectivity and concern for the ethical treatment of ppts

  - demand characteristics: prisoners + guards may have been acting according to stereotypes in the media rather than conforming to social roles