Zimbardo conformity

What was the main objective of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment?

To investigate conformity to social roles and the impact of situational factors on behavior.

In what year was the Stanford Prison Experiment conducted?

1971

How many participants were involved in the Stanford Prison Experiment?

24 emotionally stable students.

What roles were participants assigned in the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Roles of guards or prisoners.

What method was used to increase realism for the prisoners in the experiment?

Prisoners were arrested at home, blindfolded, strip-searched, and issued uniforms and numbers.

What was the duration of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Originally planned for 14 days but stopped after 6 days.

What psychological phenomenon did the prisoners experience due to their treatment?

De-individuation, losing a sense of personal identity.

What were the consequences of the rebellion by the prisoners?

Guards retaliated with fire extinguishers and increased harassment.

What did the guards use to symbolize their power over the prisoners?

Uniforms, wooden clubs, handcuffs, keys, and mirror shades.

What was one of the main findings of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

The power of the situation can significantly influence behavior.

What ethical issue arose from Zimbardo's dual role in the experiment?

Zimbardo acted as both lead researcher and prison superintendent, which conflicted his ability to protect participants.

What criticism did Banuazizi and Mohamed (1975) have regarding the realism of the SPE?

They suggested participants were play-acting based on stereotypes of prisoners and guards.

What did the 2024 update by Matt McDermott argue regarding the participants' perception of the prison?

Participants behaved as if the prison was real, discussing prison life and believing they were in a real prison.

What did Reicher and Haslam (2006) find in their partial replication of the SPE?

Prisoners eventually took control, contradicting Zimbardo's findings.

What does Tajfel's social identity theory (SIT) explain about the behavior of guards in the SPE?

The guards' brutality was due to a shared social identity as a group rather than mere conformity to roles.

What was a strength of the SPE regarding participant selection?

Emotionally stable participants were randomly assigned roles, increasing internal validity.

What was one of the psychological effects on prisoners during the SPE?

Prisoners became subdued, anxious, and depressed.

How did the guards' behavior change during the SPE?

They took up their roles with enthusiasm, becoming increasingly aggressive and brutal.

What was one of the main criticisms of the SPE related to its ecological validity?

The lack of realism and the possibility that participants were acting based on stereotypes.

What did the study reveal about the influence of social roles on behavior?

Participants conformed to their assigned social roles, affecting their behavior significantly.

What was the impact of the guards' identification with their roles?

The more the guards identified with their roles, the more brutal their behavior became.

What was the primary method of enforcement used by guards in the SPE?

Frequent headcounts and punishment for minor misdemeanors.

What happened to one prisoner who went on a hunger strike?

Guards attempted to force-feed him and punished him by placing him in 'the hole'.

What was the main conclusion drawn from the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Situational factors can have a profound effect on human behavior and conformity to social roles.