Zimbardo's Stanford prison experiment

What is identification?

A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way as the group because we value it and want to be part of it. But we don’t necessarily agree with everything the group / majority believes. 

What was the aim of the Stanford prison experiment (1973)?

to investigate how readily people would conform to the roles of guard and prisoner in a role-playing exercise that simulated prison life.

What was the sample of the Stanford prison experiment (1973)?

21 male uni students, randomly assigned to role of either prisoner or guard.

What was the location of the Stanford prison experiment (1973)?

Basement at Stanford uni 

What was the procedure of the Stanford prison experiment (1973)?

• prisoners were arrested at home and taken to the prison, had a uniform of smock dress, flip flops and stocking cap. They were also given a number and only referred to by their number

• Guards told to set up prison and given a khaki uniform, mirrored sunglasses and a baton.

• Guards told to keep order and not use excessive force but no other specific rules

• It was a controlled observation

What were the results of the Stanford prison experiment (1973)?

• Within hours of beginning the study some guards began to harass prisoners. 

• They behaved in a brutal and sadistic manner, apparently enjoying it. 

• The prisoners soon adopted prisoner-like behaviour too. They talked about prison issues a great deal of the time. They ‘told tales’ on each other to the guards. Some even began siding with the guards against prisoners who did not conform to the rules

• One prisoner had to be released after 36 hours because of uncontrollable bursts of screaming, crying and anger. Within the next few days three others also had to leave after showing signs of emotional disorder that could have had lasting consequences. 

• Zimbardo had to shut the experiment down on day six.

• There was real danger that someone might be physically or mentally damaged if it was allowed to run on. 

Evaluation of Zimbardos conforming to social roles: nomothetic

P - A limitation of Zimbardo’s research is that it takes a nomothetic approach.

E - Zimbardo’s findings and conclusion assume that all conformity to social roles will occur in the same way for all individuals - as a result of situational factors.

E - This fails to account for individual differences. For example some participants may be more likely than others to conform to social roles  due to differences in personality. This might explain why some guards were particularly brutal, whereas others tried to help the prisoners.

L - Therefore, this study cannot offer a conclusion that is generalisable to the wider population, as we do not have a complete understanding of conformity to social roles and an idiographic approach should be used as well.

Evaluation of Zimbardos conforming to social roles: ethical

• Zimbardos research resulted in guards to be brutal to prisoners and do behaviours like chain their legs together

• caused severe psychological harm due to lack of informed consent and them being arrested at home

• can no longer take place due to the ethical guidelines put in place in 1980

Evaluation of Zimbardos conforming to social roles: demand characteristics

• Subsequent researchers have argued that Zimbardo’s results are not the result of the participants conforming to their social roles but rather they are the response to powerful demand characteristics,

• participants guessed the aims of the study and acting in the way they felt was expected

• This view is supported by evidence to support this claim.

Evaluation of Zimbardos conforming to social roles: culture bias

• Sample consisted of only American undergraduate students

• The environment was set up to reflect that of an American prison

• different cultures have different ethics e.g more or less brutal prisons

• reduced validity

Evaluation of Zimbardos conforming to social roles: gender bias

• Sample consisted of only male participants

• The findings/conclusions are androcentric

• females are likely to conform more so findings cannot be generalised to the population