Zimbardo

• Zimbardo (Researcher) wanted to investigate conformity to social roles
• Social role


  The parts people play as members of social groups, and the expectations that come with this
• Zimbardo argues that it is the situation (environmental factors) that makes people act the way they do rather than their disposition (personality)
• Stanford prison experiment


  1. 24 male volunteers

  2. Randomly allocated to 'prisoner' or 'guard'

  3. Prisoners were called by numbers and supervised all the time

  4. Guards wore khaki shirts and trousers, dark glasses and carried wooden batons

  5. Guards were allowed to make their own rules

  6. Study had to be discontinued after six days

  7. Prisoners showed behaviour such as, depression, crying and anxiety

  8. Guards became aggressive and physically punished the 'inmates'
• Reicher and Haslam (2001) conducted another prison experiment which was filmed by the BBC
• Reicher and Haslam's experiment

  • Participants did not conform automatically to their assigned social roles as had happened in the SPE
  • The prisoners increasingly identified as a group & worked collectively to challenge the authority of the guards
  • The guards were reluctant to impose authority on the prisoners
  • This led to a shift in power & the collapse of the prisoner-guard system
• Zimbardo's experiment does not replicate a real prison scenario
• What is meant by social roles?

  Parts people play as members of social groups, including the expectations that come with this.
• What did the researcher argue about people's behavior?

  He argued that it's the situation that makes people act the way they do rather than their disposition.
• What was the method used in the Stanford prison experiment?

  • Mock prison set up in Stanford University's psychology basement
  • 24 stable male volunteers
  • 2-week plan
  • Guards wore khaki uniforms, reflective sunglasses, and used clubs and whistles
  • Prisoners referred to by numbers
  • Participants were told they were studying 'prison life'
• What was the behavior of the guards in the Stanford prison experiment?

  The guards became abusive and conformed to their roles.
• What happened to the prisoners during the experiment?

  Some prisoners had to be released due to extreme reactions.
• How long did the Stanford prison experiment last?

  It was terminated after 6 days.
• What was the attitude of the volunteers during the Stanford prison experiment?

  They were enthusiastic and volunteered for more without pay.
• What does BPS stand for?

  BPS stands for the British Psychological Society.
• What is the role of the BPS?

  The BPS is concerned with the application of psychology for public good and requires researchers to obtain permission.
• What hypothesis did the researcher reject in the Stanford prison experiment?

  He rejected the dispositional hypothesis.
• What does the situational hypothesis claim?

  It claims that the conditions of the prison are to blame rather than the characteristics of prisoners or guards.
• What ethical issues were raised in the Stanford prison experiment?

  Issues included deception, informed consent, debriefing, right to withdraw, and protection of participants.
• What are some criticisms of the Stanford prison experiment?

  • Many ethical issues were present
  • Gender bias: unclear how females would behave
  • Not replicated accurately
  • Some participants did not conform
  • Ethical issues led to mental breakdowns
  • Therapy was not offered to participants
• What was the Reicher & Haslam (2001) study about?

  • An 8-day study
  • Participants did not conform
  • Questioned the authority of the guards
  • Suggested findings may be consistent across cultures
• What year was the Reicher & Haslam study conducted?

  It was conducted in 2001.
• How did participants in the Reicher & Haslam study behave compared to those in the Stanford prison experiment?

  Participants in the Reicher & Haslam study did not conform to the guards' authority.
• How do the findings of the Reicher & Haslam study challenge the Stanford prison experiment's conclusions?

  The Reicher & Haslam study suggests that not all participants conform to authority, questioning the situational hypothesis.