ZIMBARDO'S 1969 DEINDIVIDUATION STUDY

AIM:
To investigate whether, when individuals are deindividuated, they are more likely to engage in behaviour that they would not typically exhibit if they were identifiable

METHOD:

Zimbardo conducted his experiment with female students from New York University. The participants were divided into two groups:

• Deindividuated group: these participants were made to feel anonymous. They were dressed in lab coats and hoods that concealed their faces, were addressed as a group and were not asked for their names

• Individuated group: these participants were made to feel identifiable. They wore their normal clothes, were addressed by their names, and were asked to introduce themselves to the other participants

Both groups were then asked to deliver electric shocks to a confederate as part of a supposed learning experiment

RESULTS:

The deindividuated group delivered shocks for a longer duration compared to the individuated group. This indicated that when participants felt anonymous and less accountable for their actions, they were more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviour

CONCLUSION:

Zimbardo concluded that deindividuation, characterised by anonymity and a diminished sense of personal responsibility, can lead to an increase in aggressive or anti-social behaviour. This study suggested that the loss of self-awareness and accountability in a group setting might cause individuals to act in ways they normally would not if they were identifiable

EVALUATION: