Zimbardo's Prison Experiment

• What were the aims on Zimbardo's study


  To Investigate how we obey to authority and why
• What was the sample like in Zimbardo's study

  - Volunteer sample

  - 75 applicants were given diagnostic interviews and personality tests to eliminate candidates with psychological problems, medical disabilities or a history of crime or drug abuse

  
  

  - 24 men ere chosen & paid $15 a day
• How did Zimbardo conduct his study


  - ppts randomly assigned to either the role of a prisoner or guard

  - ppts treated like criminals, being arrested at their own homes without warning and taken to local police station- finger printed, photographed and 'booked'

  - when arrived at the 'prison' they were stripped naked, had all their possessions removed and locked away- given prison clothes and bedding

  - referred to by only ID number

  - Guards given uniform with special reflective sunglasses which made eye contact with prisoners impossible

  - Guards were instructed to do whatever they thought was necessary to maintain law and order and to command respect
• What were the Findings of Zimbardo's study


  - Ppts settled into their roles within 24hrs

  
  

  - Ppl will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play, especially of the roles are strongly stereotyped

  
  

  - Mistreatment of prisoners escalated alarmingly so experiment was terminated after 6 days- meant to last 2 weeks
• Negative evaluation of Zimbardo's study- Ethics


  Ethics

  - Ppts mental health severely tested and suffered due to conditions

  - 1ppt had to leave early and experiment was terminated early because of effects on mental & physical state

  - No informed consent: couldn't choose whether they were a prisoner or guard

  - No right to withdraw: ppts attempted to leave but were told no

  - No protection from harm
• Counterargument of Ethical issues


  - He did terminate the experiment: did somewhat consider the wellbeing of ppts

  - Because of this experiment, ethical guidelines were created

  - Gave ppts a full debrief and gave them opportunities for counselling
• Negative evaluation of Zimbardo's study- Validity


  Validity

  - May be investigator effects and data may be subjective- Zimbardo played a superintendent role

  
  

  - Guards were encouraged to be brutal and to behave in a certain way towards the prisoners = may have been demand characteristics & Internal validity of study can be questioned

  
  

  - Generalisable? Only men in the study
• Counterargument of Validity issues


  - With him playing a part he was able to see the effect of conformity: arguably increases the validity as he witnessed it first hand

  
  

  - Ecological validity: Guards were told to be brutal which is true to real life

  
  

  - Population validity: All prisoners were male- 95% of prison populations are male