· The Stanford Prison Experiment conducted by Philip G. Zimbardo is probably the most recognizable study in the area of social psychology. The summer of 2018 proved to be exceptionally unfavorable to this scientific endeavor. The experiment was showered with strong criticisms to the extent that some voices were raised to withdraw the research ...
· The Stanford prison experiment demonstrated control through power. Firstly, theStanford Prison Experiment humiliated, emasculated and oppressed the prisoners according to a study by Zimbardo et al. (2012). When it comes to humiliation, the guards started berating and humiliating the prisoners that caused a lot of psychological distress.
· The experiment was a test of good vs evil. Philip Zimbardo used students from Stanford University and made some of them prison guards and other prisoners. After time passed they psychologists noticed the students who were prison guards were getting really into their roles. They were getting harsher since they were in a position of power.
· The research, known as the Stanford Prison Experiment, has become a classic demonstration of situational power to influence individual attitudes, values and behavior. So extreme, swift and unexpected were the transformations of character in many of the participants that this study -- planned to last two-weeks -- had to be terminated by the ...
Conclusion. According to Zimbardo and his colleagues, the Stanford Prison Experiment revealed how people will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play, especially if the roles are as strongly stereotyped as those of the prison guards.
Mirror sunglasses prevented anyone from seeing their eyes or reading their emotions, and thus helped to further promote their anonymity. We were, of course, studying not only the prisoners but also the guards, who found themselves in a new power-laden role.
Participants were also asked to complete a release form for their video footage to be used. Prisoners also known by their ID number during the experiment therefore remained anonymous to other members and to those who view the video footage. This means that confidentiality was maintained.
What were the conclusions of the experiment? The stimulation revealed the power of the situation to influence people's behaviour. Guards, prisoners and researchers all conformed to their roles within the prison.
One mistake was his taking on the role of prison superintendent. Instead of simply observing from a neutral location or reviewing the data later, Zimbardo made himself an authority figure, which meant he was part of the experiment.
As a result of Zimbardo's 'duel role', ethical guidelines were breached, for example, the right to withdraw. The participant in question was later said to become emotionally disturbed, meaning he was not protected against psychological harm which he should have been.
To punish the prisoners, the guards shot a fire extinguisher into the cell. Guards used physical and psychological abuse, including sleep deprivation, to punish and intimidate the prisoners throughout the study. The prisoners were forced to wear dressings and stocking caps the whole time.
Guards had pretty much free reign on how they could treat the prisoner, although they had two main rules: 1 Guards could not hit the prisoners 2 Guards could not put prisoners in solitary confinement (“the hole”) for more than an hour