Zimbardo: Conformity to social roles - Social influence [ A Level Psychology ]

Summary

The Stanford Prison Experiment, led by Philip Zimbardo, examined how individuals adopted aggressive or submissive behaviors when assigned social roles of prisoners or guards. Despite initial chaos, the study suggested that situational factors, not individual traits, drove behavior. However, ethical issues and Zimbardo's dual role as both prison superintendent and lead investigator raised concerns about experimental bias. The experiment was ended early due to the significant distress it caused participants, highlighting the need for ethical research practices.

Takeaways

• 🏫 Zimbardo's Prison Experiment is infamous for exploring the psychological effects of social roles in a prison environment, leading to aggressive behavior among guards and submissiveness among prisoners.
• 🧠 The experiment suggests that individuals adapt their behavior to fit into the defined social roles of their environment, even if it means acting against their nature.
• 👨‍⚕️ Zimbardo himself became immersed in his role as prison superintendent, prioritizing the prison's operation over participant well-being, highlighting the power of role immersion.
• 📚 The concept of 'social role' refers to the pattern of behavior expected from individuals in certain social positions, such as doctors, teachers, or police officers.
• 🔑 The experiment aimed to test whether typical, mentally healthy individuals would conform to aggressive and submissive social roles when placed in a prison setting.
• 🚨 The experiment was ended prematurely due to the extreme distress experienced by participants, indicating the profound impact of the environment on behavior.
• 🔍 Positive evaluations of the study include its methodological control and practical applications in understanding institutional abuse, such as the Abu Ghraib scandal.
• 🚨 Criticisms highlight ethical concerns, experimental bias due to Zimbardo's dual role, and the influence of researcher instructions on participant behavior.
• 📈 The experiment's findings have been influential in military and law enforcement training to prevent abuse, demonstrating its real-world impact.
• ⚖️ The Stanford Prison Experiment raises critical questions about the ethics of psychological research and the importance of safeguarding participant welfare.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment?

The main purpose of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment was to investigate how typical mentally healthy people would conform to the social roles of guards and prisoners, potentially leading to aggressive behavior in the guards and submissive behavior in the prisoners.

Where was Zimbardo's Prison Experiment conducted?

Zimbardo's Prison Experiment was conducted in the basement of Stanford University.

How were the participants in the experiment selected and assigned roles?

The participants were carefully selected through psychological testing to ensure mental stability, and then randomly assigned to be either prisoners or guards to reduce the likelihood of participant variables.

What were the unexpected results of the experiment?

The experiment resulted in both prisoners and guards quickly losing their individual identities and adopting the social roles assigned to them. The guards became dominant and aggressive, while the prisoners initially resisted but ultimately became submissive, leading to significant distress and early release of some participants.

What was Zimbardo's role in the experiment?

Zimbardo played the role of Chief Prison Superintendent and Lead Investigator in the experiment.

Why was the experiment ended early?

The experiment was ended early after only six days due to the extreme responses of both prisoners and guards, including mental breakdowns among the prisoners.

What were some of the ethical concerns raised about the experiment?

Ethical concerns included the suffering and harm experienced by the participants, the dual role of Zimbardo as both prison superintendent and lead investigator, and the direct instruction to guards to be highly aggressive, which may have influenced the results.

How has the Stanford Prison Experiment been applied in real-life settings?

The findings have been practically applied to understand real-life examples of institutional abuse, such as the American Military prison of Abu Ghraib, and are taught in military and law enforcement settings to reduce the likelihood of further abuse.

What was the role of social roles in the observed aggression in the experiment?

The experiment suggested that the situational power of the prison environment could lead otherwise mentally healthy individuals to adopt social roles that resulted in highly aggressive behaviors.

What are some criticisms of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment?

Criticisms include the experimental bias due to Zimbardo's dual role, the influence of the researcher's presence on participant behavior, and the recent analysis suggesting that researchers directly instructed guards to be aggressive, which challenges the conclusion that aggression was due to social role adaptation.

What is the significance of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment in the field of psychology?

The experiment is significant as it demonstrates the power of situational factors in influencing behavior and highlights the importance of ethical safeguards in psychological research.