Stanford Prison Study
Introduction The Stanford Prison study began on August 14th and ended on August 21st, 1971. This experiment helped psychologists to better understand conformity and human nature. The objective was to watch the interaction between the two groups of men without an obviously malevolent authority.
Description
The study took place in the basement of Stanford University by a small group of researchers during the summer or 1971. These researches were led by a man named Philip Zimbardo. 24 male students out of more than 70 applicants were chosen to be a part of the study. They would each earn 15 dollars a day to participate for 2 weeks (roughly equivalent to $85 in 2012). They each got randomly assigned roles of prisoners and guards in a mock prison located in the basement of the Stanford psychology building. The mock prison was basically a stimulated prison. It consisted of three 6 foot by 9 foot cells, and a 2 foot by 2 foot room with no windows that was known as the black box. Each cell had 3 prisoners, and they were punished by being put in the black box. The men who participated adapted to their roles extremely well based on Zimbardo's expectations, as the guards demanded some of the prisoners to psychological torture. Many prisoners passively accepted psychological abuse and listened to the all of what the guards would say. Some would willingly harass any of the other prisoners who even attempted to prevent the abuse. Researchers were exploring the destructive behavior of men towards each other over a period of time. The results of this study were shocking.
Discussion
The outcomes of the Stanford Prison study were outrageous; such was the abuse towards the prisoners in the experiment. The study turned out so bad, that it was dismissed after only 6 days. Parents were threatening to get a lawyer to get their son out of the study, and they also began to realize that the guards were enhancing their abuse to the prisoners in the middle of the night when no one
Description
The study took place in the basement of Stanford University by a small group of researchers during the summer or 1971. These researches were led by a man named Philip Zimbardo. 24 male students out of more than 70 applicants were chosen to be a part of the study. They would each earn 15 dollars a day to participate for 2 weeks (roughly equivalent to $85 in 2012). They each got randomly assigned roles of prisoners and guards in a mock prison located in the basement of the Stanford psychology building. The mock prison was basically a stimulated prison. It consisted of three 6 foot by 9 foot cells, and a 2 foot by 2 foot room with no windows that was known as the black box. Each cell had 3 prisoners, and they were punished by being put in the black box. The men who participated adapted to their roles extremely well based on Zimbardo's expectations, as the guards demanded some of the prisoners to psychological torture. Many prisoners passively accepted psychological abuse and listened to the all of what the guards would say. Some would willingly harass any of the other prisoners who even attempted to prevent the abuse. Researchers were exploring the destructive behavior of men towards each other over a period of time. The results of this study were shocking.
Discussion
The outcomes of the Stanford Prison study were outrageous; such was the abuse towards the prisoners in the experiment. The study turned out so bad, that it was dismissed after only 6 days. Parents were threatening to get a lawyer to get their son out of the study, and they also began to realize that the guards were enhancing their abuse to the prisoners in the middle of the night when no one