conformity to social roles - zimbardo

• social role 


  parts people play as members of various social groups. accompanied by set of expectations of what is appropriate behaviour in each of those roles
• stanford prison experiment researcher 


  zimbardo
• stanford prison experiment aim

  investigate how readily people conform to roles of guard and prisoner in role playing exercise simulating prison life
• stanford prison experiment participants

  21 men

  volunteers at uni

  all tested as emotionally stable
• stanford prison experiment procedure

  • mock prison in basement of stanford uni
  • paid $15 daily
  • randomly allocated role
  • zimbardo - prison superintendent
  • prisoners arrested at home, stripped, deloused and given uniform and referred to by number
  • guard uniform - handcuffs, mirror aviator sunglasses to promote de-individualisation
  • no physical violence
• stanford prison experiment findings

  day 1-2: guard woke prisoners in night, made wash toilets with hands

  day 2: prisoner started rebellion against harsh treatment - harass participant to remind of their place

  prisoner- depressed and anxious post-rebellion

  1 prisoner- showed signs of psychological disturbance

  1 prisoner- hunger strike
• stanford prison experiment conclusions

  conformed to social roles

  guard - aggressive

  prisoner - more passive

  zimbardo said it was situational (prison) not dispositional (not personality)