Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment
THE ZIMBARDO’S STANDFORD PRISON STUDY
The Zimbardo Stanford Prison Study was conducted by Philip G. Zimbardo in 1971, at Stanford University. The experiment was to last two weeks and be conducted in the basement of the Stanford University basement. The 24 chosen participants, Students from Canada and US, would be randomly selected to either be a guard or a prisoner, with Zimbardo being the warden. The pay was 15 dollars a day; the study was to see how the effects of confinement, in prison life, with the situational variables in place how this would impact the human behavior. Do the prisons make criminals go more psychotic as the days past? Would good people turn sadists? Within this report we will find out if Zimbardo was able to complete …show more content…
the study, how did it affect the participants, and what the outcome of the study was.
Phillip Zimbardo and his colleagues wanted to create an experiment that expanded Milgram’s research, in regards to the impact of situational variables on human behavior. The researchers wanted to know how the participants would react when placed in a simulated prison environment (Cherry). In 1971 the researchers, with Zambrano’s guidance, set out to test their theories. However, first the researchers must find out where the experiment can be conduct and find volunteers to take on the roles. There were 70 male volunteers for which the prisoner or guard were chose. Out of those 70 volunteers only 24 were needed. These boys were split into two groups by flipping a coin. Half were to be guards, the other to be prisoners (Zimbardo, 1999). Also, Stanford University allowed them to use the university basement for this experiment to take place. All this preparation was to make sure that all the simulations were as close as possible to the real prison life (Neil & Logsdon, 1988).
Preparing the Stanford University basement was no easy task. Within the mock prison there were six by nine foot prison cells with three cots, each held three prisoners. The jail cells were made by removing the door to some lab rooms and replacing them with steel bar doors. Other rooms across from the prisoners were used for the guards and warden. There was a set up for a prison “yard” and another small room off to the side for what would be called solitary confinement (Neil & Logsdon, 1988). Within one of Zimbardo’s web sites, (Zimbardo, 1999), He stated that the “The Hole” was only two foot by two foot. This was just enough to stand up. There were no windows or clocks to judge the time. So now the experiment starts (Zimbardo, 1999).
One by One the prisoners were received from the Palo Alto Police Department, which had arrested them earlier without warning.
After being spoken to by the warden in regards to their serious charges, the prisoners were lead to their cells (Zimbardo, 1999). On the way to their cells the prisoners were to stop by and get there gowns and were also required to wear nylon caps. This dress was to make sure that the prisoners were treated impersonally. The Guards were dressed in a uniform very close to what the normal jail guards in a prison would wear down to the silvered glasses. The Guards were given little training on how to act with the prisoners, however the guards were told not to physically punish them (Neil & Logsdon, 1988). The guards, besides the physical punishment, were free to do whatever as guards was felt necessary to maintain law and order. The guards took this guide and made up their own rules. Which these rules made were enforced by the warden (Zimbardo, …show more content…
1999).
The study was well under way as the Prisoners were placed in their cells not to leave the prison, to stay there 24/7 till the experiment was over. The guards were on a three-man team for eight hour shifts. The guards were allowed to return home until there next shift (Cherry). The first day passed without any problems but come the second day, the prisoners were being very defiant. The prisoners were taking their caps off and ripping the numbers off their gowns. Not to mention that at some point the prisoners started to yell and curse the guards. This infuriated them; the guards had to come up with a plan of action. The warden would call in three more guards to help gain control of the prisoners with fire extinguishers, as the guards fought force with force. Once subdued prisoners were under control the guards stripped them down and took their beds. The ring leaders of the rebellion were taken to solitary. The Guards just kept on harassing the prisoners and trying to frighten them (Zimbardo, 1999).
This continued threw the next couple of days getting worse and worse. The guards tried to control things by taking some of the good prisoners and mixing them in with the bad ones. This had made all of the prisoners even more on edge. The guards were also trying to step up their edge and keep control but with more aggression (Zimbardo, 1999). The atmosphere became worse as every day went by. It had got really hard for the students to differentiate between real life and the experiment. Everyone was feeling as if that was the life that was lead and went into a defense or protective mode. With this, the prisoners and guards went into protective mode. Everyone now had the fight or flight instinct kick in (Neil & Logsdon, 1988).
After six days the guards were bring some of the prisoners up for parole. The prisoners had to sign away their pay and except the guard’s terns. Most prisoners were denied there parole. One prisoner begged to leave the study. The researchers allowed one more new prisoner to come in. What this prisoner witnessed was a wide disarray and unfair treatment of the prisoners by the guards. Some of the prisoners even went of a food strike; to where he would not eat. Once when the new prisoner tried to bring up to the guard’s how the treatment of the prisoners was too much, the guards disagreed and punished him more (Gross).
While the study was only supposed to last 14 days, it had to be stopped after six. The Psychological well-being of the students was at stake here. The guard’s began being mean and hostile toward the prisoners and demeaning them. The guards were also becoming very abusive. The prisoners, however, were becoming depressed and unreceptive. With prisoners truly being inflicted to the point of crying and anxiety, the Study had quickly drawn to a halt. Even the researchers were becoming way too involved and started to lose sight of the study (Cherry).
With Six days in there was an estimated one-third of the guards that had shown merciless acts towards the prisoners. It is believed that the guards were unable to redirect their minds into real thoughts because everyone was in the mindset of a guard and every day that mind set was stronger and stronger. It is believed that once you are paired or grouped then it makes controlling this behavior even harder to overcome. The guards may have believed that he was merely doing what the researchers were wanting of them. To make sure that control was in order and the law was followed (Gross). Zimbardo stated within his new book, The Lucifer Effect, "Only a few people were able to resist the situational temptations to yield to power and dominance while maintaining some semblance of morality and decency; obviously I was not among that noble class, (Cherry)”.
As Zimbardo stated back in 1971, “although we ended the study a week earlier then planed, we did not end it soon enough” (Cherry).
This was so true, once all the documents and finding were brought together on this study. The researchers did not expect the study to go the way it did nor did Zimbardo expect the outcome. Zimbardo was affected throughout this study, even though he was trying not to get involved, he was drawn in and viewing things differently. This study was also criticized by many people for their believing that this study was unethical, and that it had violated ethical codes. Other critics stated that the lack of generalizable and natural authority factors, made this study untrue as well. If this study would have been done in today’s times, it would be shut down before it even started. There have not been any other studies of its kind due to the outcome of this
research.
In the end, the main objective of this study was to see the impact of situational variables on human behavior. The Impact was so great that even Zimbardo could not see the psychological change till it was brought to his attention (Zimbardo, 2001). The guards who were once normal boys, same as the prisoners, were now pushing the limits of authority, even sneaking in the night time to harass or abuse the prisoners. The prisoners went from an everyday person to being depressed and feeling hopeless (Cherry). This study was hard on everyone. However, this study did prove that you can take anyone and change their behavior by changing their surroundings. All that can be done is to change the situations that someone is put in. The Psychological impact may turn anyone into fight or flight. Anyone can change their behavior. This study has made a great impact on research all over the world. It allows us to understand that the mind is always in survival mode with the situational variables in place impacting the human behavior.
References
Cherry, K. (2013) Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/classicpsychologystudies/a/stanford-prison-experiment.htm
Gross, B. (2008). PRISON VIOLENCE: DOES BRUTALITY COME WITH THE BADGE? Forensic Examiner, 17(4), 21-27. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/207639160?accountid=10435
Neil, B., & Logsdon, J. (1988) Zimbardo 's 'standard prison experiment ' and the relevance o. Journal of Business Ethics, 7(9), page 705-706 Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/198065081/abstract?accountid=10435
Zimbardo, P. (1999) The Stanford Prison Experiment: A Simulation Study of the Psychology of Imprisonment. Retrieved 2013, from http://www.prisonexp.org/
Zimbardo, P. (2001, June 09) Social Psychology Network - Philip G. Zimbardo Retrieved from http://zimbardo.socialpsychology.org/
The Zimbardo Stanford Prison Study was conducted by Philip G. Zimbardo in 1971, at Stanford University. The experiment was to last two weeks and be conducted in the basement of the Stanford University basement. The 24 chosen participants, Students from Canada and US, would be randomly selected to either be a guard or a prisoner, with Zimbardo being the warden. The pay was 15 dollars a day; the study was to see how the effects of confinement, in prison life, with the situational variables in place how this would impact the human behavior. Do the prisons make criminals go more psychotic as the days past? Would good people turn sadists? Within this report we will find out if Zimbardo was able to complete …show more content…
the study, how did it affect the participants, and what the outcome of the study was.
Phillip Zimbardo and his colleagues wanted to create an experiment that expanded Milgram’s research, in regards to the impact of situational variables on human behavior. The researchers wanted to know how the participants would react when placed in a simulated prison environment (Cherry). In 1971 the researchers, with Zambrano’s guidance, set out to test their theories. However, first the researchers must find out where the experiment can be conduct and find volunteers to take on the roles. There were 70 male volunteers for which the prisoner or guard were chose. Out of those 70 volunteers only 24 were needed. These boys were split into two groups by flipping a coin. Half were to be guards, the other to be prisoners (Zimbardo, 1999). Also, Stanford University allowed them to use the university basement for this experiment to take place. All this preparation was to make sure that all the simulations were as close as possible to the real prison life (Neil & Logsdon, 1988).
Preparing the Stanford University basement was no easy task. Within the mock prison there were six by nine foot prison cells with three cots, each held three prisoners. The jail cells were made by removing the door to some lab rooms and replacing them with steel bar doors. Other rooms across from the prisoners were used for the guards and warden. There was a set up for a prison “yard” and another small room off to the side for what would be called solitary confinement (Neil & Logsdon, 1988). Within one of Zimbardo’s web sites, (Zimbardo, 1999), He stated that the “The Hole” was only two foot by two foot. This was just enough to stand up. There were no windows or clocks to judge the time. So now the experiment starts (Zimbardo, 1999).
One by One the prisoners were received from the Palo Alto Police Department, which had arrested them earlier without warning.
After being spoken to by the warden in regards to their serious charges, the prisoners were lead to their cells (Zimbardo, 1999). On the way to their cells the prisoners were to stop by and get there gowns and were also required to wear nylon caps. This dress was to make sure that the prisoners were treated impersonally. The Guards were dressed in a uniform very close to what the normal jail guards in a prison would wear down to the silvered glasses. The Guards were given little training on how to act with the prisoners, however the guards were told not to physically punish them (Neil & Logsdon, 1988). The guards, besides the physical punishment, were free to do whatever as guards was felt necessary to maintain law and order. The guards took this guide and made up their own rules. Which these rules made were enforced by the warden (Zimbardo, …show more content…
1999).
The study was well under way as the Prisoners were placed in their cells not to leave the prison, to stay there 24/7 till the experiment was over. The guards were on a three-man team for eight hour shifts. The guards were allowed to return home until there next shift (Cherry). The first day passed without any problems but come the second day, the prisoners were being very defiant. The prisoners were taking their caps off and ripping the numbers off their gowns. Not to mention that at some point the prisoners started to yell and curse the guards. This infuriated them; the guards had to come up with a plan of action. The warden would call in three more guards to help gain control of the prisoners with fire extinguishers, as the guards fought force with force. Once subdued prisoners were under control the guards stripped them down and took their beds. The ring leaders of the rebellion were taken to solitary. The Guards just kept on harassing the prisoners and trying to frighten them (Zimbardo, 1999).
This continued threw the next couple of days getting worse and worse. The guards tried to control things by taking some of the good prisoners and mixing them in with the bad ones. This had made all of the prisoners even more on edge. The guards were also trying to step up their edge and keep control but with more aggression (Zimbardo, 1999). The atmosphere became worse as every day went by. It had got really hard for the students to differentiate between real life and the experiment. Everyone was feeling as if that was the life that was lead and went into a defense or protective mode. With this, the prisoners and guards went into protective mode. Everyone now had the fight or flight instinct kick in (Neil & Logsdon, 1988).
After six days the guards were bring some of the prisoners up for parole. The prisoners had to sign away their pay and except the guard’s terns. Most prisoners were denied there parole. One prisoner begged to leave the study. The researchers allowed one more new prisoner to come in. What this prisoner witnessed was a wide disarray and unfair treatment of the prisoners by the guards. Some of the prisoners even went of a food strike; to where he would not eat. Once when the new prisoner tried to bring up to the guard’s how the treatment of the prisoners was too much, the guards disagreed and punished him more (Gross).
While the study was only supposed to last 14 days, it had to be stopped after six. The Psychological well-being of the students was at stake here. The guard’s began being mean and hostile toward the prisoners and demeaning them. The guards were also becoming very abusive. The prisoners, however, were becoming depressed and unreceptive. With prisoners truly being inflicted to the point of crying and anxiety, the Study had quickly drawn to a halt. Even the researchers were becoming way too involved and started to lose sight of the study (Cherry).
With Six days in there was an estimated one-third of the guards that had shown merciless acts towards the prisoners. It is believed that the guards were unable to redirect their minds into real thoughts because everyone was in the mindset of a guard and every day that mind set was stronger and stronger. It is believed that once you are paired or grouped then it makes controlling this behavior even harder to overcome. The guards may have believed that he was merely doing what the researchers were wanting of them. To make sure that control was in order and the law was followed (Gross). Zimbardo stated within his new book, The Lucifer Effect, "Only a few people were able to resist the situational temptations to yield to power and dominance while maintaining some semblance of morality and decency; obviously I was not among that noble class, (Cherry)”.
As Zimbardo stated back in 1971, “although we ended the study a week earlier then planed, we did not end it soon enough” (Cherry).
This was so true, once all the documents and finding were brought together on this study. The researchers did not expect the study to go the way it did nor did Zimbardo expect the outcome. Zimbardo was affected throughout this study, even though he was trying not to get involved, he was drawn in and viewing things differently. This study was also criticized by many people for their believing that this study was unethical, and that it had violated ethical codes. Other critics stated that the lack of generalizable and natural authority factors, made this study untrue as well. If this study would have been done in today’s times, it would be shut down before it even started. There have not been any other studies of its kind due to the outcome of this
research.
In the end, the main objective of this study was to see the impact of situational variables on human behavior. The Impact was so great that even Zimbardo could not see the psychological change till it was brought to his attention (Zimbardo, 2001). The guards who were once normal boys, same as the prisoners, were now pushing the limits of authority, even sneaking in the night time to harass or abuse the prisoners. The prisoners went from an everyday person to being depressed and feeling hopeless (Cherry). This study was hard on everyone. However, this study did prove that you can take anyone and change their behavior by changing their surroundings. All that can be done is to change the situations that someone is put in. The Psychological impact may turn anyone into fight or flight. Anyone can change their behavior. This study has made a great impact on research all over the world. It allows us to understand that the mind is always in survival mode with the situational variables in place impacting the human behavior.
References
Cherry, K. (2013) Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/classicpsychologystudies/a/stanford-prison-experiment.htm
Gross, B. (2008). PRISON VIOLENCE: DOES BRUTALITY COME WITH THE BADGE? Forensic Examiner, 17(4), 21-27. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/207639160?accountid=10435
Neil, B., & Logsdon, J. (1988) Zimbardo 's 'standard prison experiment ' and the relevance o. Journal of Business Ethics, 7(9), page 705-706 Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/198065081/abstract?accountid=10435
Zimbardo, P. (1999) The Stanford Prison Experiment: A Simulation Study of the Psychology of Imprisonment. Retrieved 2013, from http://www.prisonexp.org/
Zimbardo, P. (2001, June 09) Social Psychology Network - Philip G. Zimbardo Retrieved from http://zimbardo.socialpsychology.org/