Zimbardo’s research
Stanford prison experiment – to test the extent to which people conformed to different social
roles and to investigate why ‘good people do bad things.’
Method
- Set up a mock prison in the basement of the psych department at Stanford university.
- Selected 21 male student volunteers who tested as emotionally stable, 11 assigned as
prisoners and 10 guards.
- Paid $15 a day.
- Students were randomly assigned guard or prisoner.
- prisoners were unexpectedly arrested at home and de loused and given a prison unform
and prison number.
- Prisoners were allowed 3 meals a day, 3 supervised toilet visits and 2 visits per week.
Uniforms
- Prisoners were given lose smock and a cap as well as a number they were solely
identified by numbers.
- Guards had a khaki uniform with a wooden club, handcuffs, and mirror shades (created
de – individualism)
Findings:
- Guards took up their roles with enthusiasm, treating the prisoners harshly and their
behaviour became a threat to the prisoners psychological and physical wellbeing
- Dehumanisation was apparent with guards taunting prisoners and waking them at night
to carry out demeaning jobs such as cleaning toilets with their bare hands.
- Within 2 days the prisoners rebelled, they ripped their clothes and shouted and swore
at the guards who retaliated with fire extinguishers.
- The guards employed divide and rule tactics by playing the prisoners off against each
other.
- They harassed the prisoners constantly to remind them of their powerlessness and
constant monitoring.
- After the rebellion the prisoners became subdued, depressed, and anxious.
- One prisoner was released due to showing signs of psychological disturbance, another
prisoner went on hunger strike, so the guards tried to force feed him and put him in the
hole.
- Prisoners only spoke about prison life and would snitch on other prisoners to please the
guards (internalisation)
- The study was ended after 6 days instead of 14 because the guards became increasingly
aggressive and brutal with some of them appearing to enjoy the power they had.
Conclusions:
- Social roles have a strong influence on individuals’ behaviour.
- Guards became brutal and the prisoners became submissive.
Stanford prison experiment – to test the extent to which people conformed to different social
roles and to investigate why ‘good people do bad things.’
Method
- Set up a mock prison in the basement of the psych department at Stanford university.
- Selected 21 male student volunteers who tested as emotionally stable, 11 assigned as
prisoners and 10 guards.
- Paid $15 a day.
- Students were randomly assigned guard or prisoner.
- prisoners were unexpectedly arrested at home and de loused and given a prison unform
and prison number.
- Prisoners were allowed 3 meals a day, 3 supervised toilet visits and 2 visits per week.
Uniforms
- Prisoners were given lose smock and a cap as well as a number they were solely
identified by numbers.
- Guards had a khaki uniform with a wooden club, handcuffs, and mirror shades (created
de – individualism)
Findings:
- Guards took up their roles with enthusiasm, treating the prisoners harshly and their
behaviour became a threat to the prisoners psychological and physical wellbeing
- Dehumanisation was apparent with guards taunting prisoners and waking them at night
to carry out demeaning jobs such as cleaning toilets with their bare hands.
- Within 2 days the prisoners rebelled, they ripped their clothes and shouted and swore
at the guards who retaliated with fire extinguishers.
- The guards employed divide and rule tactics by playing the prisoners off against each
other.
- They harassed the prisoners constantly to remind them of their powerlessness and
constant monitoring.
- After the rebellion the prisoners became subdued, depressed, and anxious.
- One prisoner was released due to showing signs of psychological disturbance, another
prisoner went on hunger strike, so the guards tried to force feed him and put him in the
hole.
- Prisoners only spoke about prison life and would snitch on other prisoners to please the
guards (internalisation)
- The study was ended after 6 days instead of 14 because the guards became increasingly
aggressive and brutal with some of them appearing to enjoy the power they had.
Conclusions:
- Social roles have a strong influence on individuals’ behaviour.
- Guards became brutal and the prisoners became submissive.
