Stanford Prison Experiment

When was the Stanford Prison Experiment?

1973

What was the aim of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

To investigate the extent to which people conform to their roles in a prison life simulation

What is situational attribution?

Inferring that a persons behaviour is caused by something about the situation they are in

What is dispositional attribution?

Inferring that the reason for a persons behaviour is something about themselves, such as their personality

Who conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Philip Zimbardo

What was the sample used in the Stanford Prison Experiment?

75 male university students, out of which 21 were physically/mentally stable without anti-social tendencies

What type of sampling was used for the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Volunteer sampling - they replied to a newspaper advert offering $15 per day

What role did Zimbardo assume in this study?

Superintendent of the ‘prison’

What was the process of bringing ‘prisoners’ into the simulation?

They were officially arrested by real police, given a number and a smock with nylon caps and a chain around one ankle (dehumanising)

What was the process of bringing ‘guards’ into the simulation?

They wore khaki uniform, reflective shades, given keys, cuffs, truncheons (physical harm wasn’t permitted)

What were the results of this study?

Quickly assumed their roles, rebellions were met with increased dehumanisation and creatively sadistic punishments

How long did it take for the first prisoner to be removed for their safety?

36 hours then similar releases each day after

How long did the experiment last?

6 days out of a planned 2 weeks

What did Zimbardo conclude from this study?

Situational attribution was deemed the cause of the participants behaviour as they returned to their normal selves when the experiment ended, showing social roles can override personal morals

Where do we learn social roles?

Media sources, role models and people of social power

Is Zimbardo’s study generalisable?

No, only white, male students were used so the study lacks populational validity

Is Zimbardo’s study reliable?

No, the exact event cannot be fully replicated as the participants acted naturally and were not told what to do

Is Zimbardo’s study ethical?

No, many ‘prisoners’ had to leave due to such high emotional stress, also lacked informed consent although Zimbardo ensured all participants were properly debriefed and concluded they had no long lasting damage

How can Zimbardo’s study not be seen as an experiment?

The IV and DV are not easily identifiable making it more of an observational study, there was also no control of extraneous variables