The Stanford Prison Experiment (Summary + Lessons)
Practical Psychology・2 minutes read
The Stanford Prison Experiment conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971 at Stanford University demonstrated how roles can influence behavior, resulting in escalating abuse and mistreatment among college student participants in a simulated prison environment. The experiment was terminated after six days due to severe psychological effects on participants, sparking controversy over ethical concerns, allegations of coaching, and debates on the validity of the results in psychology.
Insights
- Participants in the Stanford Prison Experiment, such as guard Dave Eshelman, exhibited extreme behaviors due to the power dynamics within the simulated prison environment, highlighting the significant impact of assigned roles on behavior.
- The ethical implications and methodological criticisms of the Stanford Prison Experiment, as noted by Zimbardo himself, have sparked debates in psychology, emphasizing the importance of considering the potential harm and validity of research methods when studying human behavior.
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Recent questions
What was the purpose of the Stanford Prison Experiment?
To explore the influence of roles on behavior.
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