Stanford Prison Experiment

Definition

The Stanford Prison Experiment was a psychological study conducted in 1971 by Philip Zimbardo at Stanford University, designed to investigate the effects of perceived power and authority in a simulated prison environment. Participants were randomly assigned roles as either guards or prisoners, leading to extreme behavior changes that highlighted the potential for cruelty in positions of power. The experiment raised significant ethical questions about the treatment of human subjects in research.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Stanford Prison Experiment was originally scheduled to last two weeks but was terminated after only six days due to the extreme psychological effects on participants.
2. Participants assigned as guards exhibited abusive behaviors, while those assigned as prisoners showed signs of stress and helplessness, showcasing the influence of situational factors on behavior.
3. The study demonstrated the powerful effects of social roles and situational contexts on human behavior, suggesting that ordinary people can engage in extreme actions under certain conditions.
4. Ethical concerns arose from the experiment's lack of informed consent regarding the psychological stress participants would experience and the absence of adequate safeguards against harm.
5. The Stanford Prison Experiment has become a foundational case study in discussions about ethics in psychological research, influencing guidelines for future studies involving human subjects.

Review Questions

• How did the Stanford Prison Experiment illustrate the concept of deindividuation among participants?
  • The Stanford Prison Experiment illustrated deindividuation by showing how participants lost their sense of personal identity when assigned roles as guards or prisoners. Guards felt empowered by their authority and acted in ways they normally would not, displaying abusive behaviors without accountability. This shift highlights how group dynamics can lead individuals to engage in actions that contradict their personal morals when they perceive themselves as part of a larger entity.
• What ethical issues were raised by the Stanford Prison Experiment, and how have these concerns influenced current ethical guidelines in psychological research?
  • The ethical issues raised by the Stanford Prison Experiment included the lack of informed consent regarding potential psychological harm and the extreme distress experienced by participants. This led to significant scrutiny over how psychological research is conducted. As a result, current ethical guidelines emphasize the importance of informed consent, risk assessment, and debriefing procedures to protect participants from harm and ensure their well-being during research.
• Evaluate the long-term implications of the findings from the Stanford Prison Experiment on our understanding of power dynamics in society.
  • The findings from the Stanford Prison Experiment have long-term implications on our understanding of power dynamics by revealing how ordinary individuals can succumb to abusive behavior when placed in positions of authority. This understanding sheds light on real-world scenarios such as institutional abuse and systemic oppression. It suggests that context and perceived power can drastically alter behavior, emphasizing the need for awareness and accountability within societal structures to prevent abuses of power.

Related terms

Deindividuation: A psychological state characterized by a loss of self-awareness and personal responsibility, often occurring in group settings, which can lead to behavior that is out of character.

Ethical Guidelines: A set of principles designed to ensure that research involving human participants is conducted ethically, including obtaining informed consent, minimizing harm, and ensuring confidentiality.

Power Dynamics: The ways in which power is distributed and exercised within relationships, which can significantly impact behavior, decision-making, and interactions among individuals.