zimbardo study

• aim of the zimbardo study

  to find out the underlying psychological mechanisms of human aggression
• a simulated prison was created on a corridor in the basement in stanford university

  video recording equipment was placed behind an observation screen
• what type of sample

  volunteer
• how did they get the volunteers?

  an advertisement in a local newspaper
• how did they choose the sample to take part

  a questionnaire on:

  mental health

  family

  background

  ~then an interview
• how many took part

  21
• what type of people were the sample

  male

  middle class

  white american

  college students

  strangers to eachother
• how were roles chosen

  randomly allocated
• what did the contract say


  would be paid $15 a day

  minimal diet

  clothing

  housing

  no privacy

  would be recorded

  told it would last 2 weeks
• how did they get the “prisoners”

  arrested them from their homes and brought them to the basement blindfolded
• guards uniform

  guard uniform

  wooden baton

  reflective sunglasses - eye contact
• prisoners uniform

  ill fitting dresses

  no underwear

  stocking caps

  ankle chains

  -to strip them of identity
• what happened during the procedure

  guards read out rules

  referred to prisoners as numbers

  3 bland meals

  3 supervised toilet trips

  work tasks

  exercise periods

  lined up for head count
• guards results

  behaviour became more hostile

  verbal harassment

  waking in the night

  using fire extinguishers

  punishing every misbehaviour

  “ the hole “ solitary confinement
• prisoners results

  on day two they rebelled - this was quickly stopped and lead to them being more subdued and depressed

  four released = anxiety, crying, rage

  fifth released = stress related rash
• when was it terminated

  after six days
• conclusion

  people will conform to the social roles they are expected to play, especially if the roles are as strongly stereotyped as prison guards
• AO3 - unrealistic

  no real threat of violence = lacks internal validity, may not actually accept a social role, just did because they’re aware it’s an experiment
• AO3 - unrealistic counter

  zimbardo found that 90% of prisoners conversations were about prison life = taking it seriously

  had to terminate = heavily involved
• AO3 - methodology can be praised


  attempted to control several variables ( creation of environment and randomly allocated roles ) = increases internal validity because there was no bias
• AO3 - conclusions criticised

  argued that they overemphasised the findings

  Ps did quickly accept the roles but prisoners did disobey at first and only 1/3 of the guards were brutal
• AO3 BBC replication

  2006 BBC replication - guards were uncomfortable and the prisoners rebelled and took over
• AO3 - ethical issues

  lack of informed consent = not fully aware of possible psychological effects

  psychological harm = anxiety, stress

  confidentiality = filmed

  deception = not told they’d be arrested from their homes