Conformity to Social Roles

• Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment

  A study to investigate how readily people would conform to social roles in a simulated environment and to explore why 'good people do bad things'
• Participants


  • 24 American male undergraduate students
• The basement of Stanford University's psychology building was converted into a simulated prison
• American student volunteers were paid to participate
• Participants were randomly assigned the roles of either guards or prisoners
• Both groups wore uniforms; prisoners were referred to by assigned numbers, and guards were given props like handcuffs and sunglasses to reinforce their roles
• No one was allowed to leave the simulated prison
• Guards worked in eight-hour shifts; prisoners stayed continuously
• Prisoners were restricted to specific areas, and guards controlled their behaviour to emphasise their power
• Physical violence was not permitted
• Participants' behaviours were observed
• Findings


  • Rapid Identification: Both prisoners and guards quickly adopted their roles
  • Behavioural Changes: Guards harassed and tormented prisoners, enjoying their power. Prisoners talked only about prison issues, snitched on each other, and defended guards, indicating deep role internalisation
  • Role Internalisation: Guards became more assertive, and prisoners became more submissive, showing increased internalisation of their social roles
• Strengths


  • Real-Life Applications: The study influenced the management of US prisons. Changes included separating young prisoners from adults to prevent negative behaviour patterns. These changes were made to reduce the effects of institutionalisation and exaggerated social role differences.
  • Ethical Guidelines: The study contributed to the establishment of formal ethical guidelines. It highlighted the need for ethical standards in psychological research, which increased understanding of ethical issues and led to safer future studies.
• Weaknesses


  • Lacks Ecological Validity: The study may have suffered from demand characteristics. Participants knew they were in a study, potentially altering their behaviour. Knowledge of the study's artificial nature may have led to acting rather than genuine behaviour.
  • Lacks Population Validity: The sample was limited to American male students. Findings cannot be generalised to other genders or cultures. Collectivist cultures might show different levels of conformity to social roles.