Zimbardo

• What is the name of the famous psychology study conducted by Philip Zimbardo?

  Zimbardo's Prison Experiment
• What was the main aim of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment?

  To investigate the causes of prison violence
• How did Zimbardo assign roles to participants in his experiment?

  He randomly assigned half to be prison inmates and the other half to be prison officers
• What was the outcome of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment?

  It resulted in absolute chaos, with participants adapting their behavior to fit their assigned roles
• What did Zimbardo claim about the behavior of the prison officers and prisoners?

  Prison officers became dominant and aggressive, while prisoners became submissive
• What role did Zimbardo take on during the experiment?

  He acted as the prison superintendent
• What ethical concern arose from Zimbardo's role in the experiment?

  He prioritized the needs of the experiment over the well-being of participants
• What is a social role?


  • A socially defined pattern of behavior
  • Expected behaviors for individuals in specific social positions or categories
• Can you name some examples of social roles?

  Doctor, teacher, police officer, politician, student, artist, prisoner, correctional officer
• What stereotypical behavior is expected of a doctor?

  Empathetic and caring
• What stereotypical behavior is expected of a police officer?

  Confident and acting with authority
• What is the identification type of conformity?

  When individuals adopt group beliefs and behaviors publicly to feel part of the group
• How does conformity relate to social roles?

  People conform to socially defined behaviors to establish their social identity
• What did Zimbardo argue about aggression in the American prison system?


  It was situational, caused by the prison environment rather than dispositional factors
• What was the duration of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  Originally planned for 7 to 14 days, but ended after 6 days
• What were the experiences of the prisoners in the experiment?

  They were unexpectedly arrested, booked, deloused, and given uniforms with ID numbers
• What rights did the prisoners have during the experiment?

  Free meals, supervised toilet trips, and visits from family
• How did the guards manage their authority in the experiment?


  They were given uniforms, clubs, whistles, and sunglasses
• What was the initial reaction of the prisoners to their situation?

  They attempted to resist by barricading themselves in their cells
• What happened to the prisoners as the experiment progressed?


  They became passive and showed significant distress
• What was one of the criticisms of Zimbardo's methodology?

  He took on the dual role of prison superintendent and lead investigator
• What did the replication study by Reicher and Haslam find?

  Participants did not conform to social roles and acted according to their personalities
• What ethical concerns were raised about the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  Participants suffered harm and felt they had no right to withdraw
• What are the practical applications of the findings from the Stanford Prison Experiment?


  • Understanding real-life examples of institutional abuse
  • Teaching in military and law enforcement settings to reduce abuse likelihood
• What was one famous example of institutional abuse related to the findings of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  The American Military prison of Abu Ghraib
• What did Zimbardo do in relation to the Abu Ghraib trial?


  He appeared as an expert witness
• What is a significant ethical safeguard that should be in place for studies like Zimbardo's?

  Ensuring participants have the right to withdraw without pressure
• What did Zimbardo's work demonstrate about the importance of ethical safeguards in research?

  It highlights the need to protect participants from harm