A Stimulated Prison Study

This essay will focus on “A Study of Prison Guards in a Stimulated Prison”, an experiment conducted in 1973 at Stanford University, by one of the most famous Psychologists to date, Philip Zimbardo. Interestingly, the Office of Naval Research sponsored the study as part of an ongoing programme tailored to generate a better understanding of the first principles of psychological processes underlying human aggression (Haney, Banks, & Zimbardo, 1973). A famous experiment that is widely propagated in the education of social psychology, demonstrating the importance of the power of social situations on people's behaviour regarding conformity, obedience and aggression.

Zimbardo, vastly influenced by Milgram and his studies of obedience, which significantly
For this reason, the study could not be replicated accurately today, and the problems raised could not be revisited in an experimental form (Haslam, & Redner, 2006). Zimbardo's professionalism was questionable, appointing himself as superintendent of the prison drew him into his study, losing his identity as a scientist. Falling into the role of prison commander, thus making decisions that were not that of a psychologist conducting an experiment but a participant in a game (Zimardo, 2007). Another criticism was that the right to withdraw had an effect on the results, allowing behaviour that was not typical to that of real life situations. Although, when prisoner 8612 wanted to leave, Zimbardo convinced him to return to the mock prison. In doing so, he proceeded to tell other inmates that they could not leave. Fellow prisoners interpreted this as the situation they were in was real, successfully influencing the studies perceived reality for both prisoners and guards (Haney, Banks, & Zimbardo,
Also, they were instructed before the study commenced that no racial or physical abuse was to take place as ethics was a concern, but Zimbardo eliminated the possibility of racial abuse prior, this conscious decision brought judgement on the validity of the results. It could not possibly be comparable to real life without a variety of race, age, and background (Haslam, & Render, 2006). Haslam & Render made an effort to replicate the study in the form of a programme aired on the BBC, stating it was an attempt to “resume normal scientific debate”, suggesting Zimbardo's study suppressed the discipline, divulging only a fragment of the findings to intricate scientific scrutiny. Moreover, peer-reviewed mainstream journals never published any of the results. Leading to claims that the studies influence on psychology and society in general, comes from the fact Zimbardo made unsubstantiated assertions about human behaviour. In particular, the way that cohorts of people react to social situations (Haslam, & Redner, 2006). Invited to comment on Haslam and Redner's partial replication of his study Zimbardo agreed, to bring attention to, “why I believe this alleged 'social psychology field research is fraudulent and does not merit acceptance by the social psychological community” (Zimbardo, 2006). Throughout the paper, Zimbardo