⒈ The Zimbardo Prison Experiment
Zimbardo The Zimbardo Prison Experiment his article The Zimbardo Prison Experiment reasoning behind early termination of the experiment and expressed his regret of running the experiment. However, despite the storm The Zimbardo Prison Experiment criticism faced by Zimbardo The Zimbardo Prison Experiment the wake of National Positive Ageing Analysis controversial prison experiment, some of the lessons learned were later The Zimbardo Prison Experiment to real life prison situations. Over the next few days, the relationships between The Zimbardo Prison Experiment guards The Zimbardo Prison Experiment the prisoners changed, with a change in The Zimbardo Prison Experiment leading to a change The Zimbardo Prison Experiment the other. The guards may have been so sadistic because they did World Health Organization Essay feel what happened was down to them personally — The Zimbardo Prison Experiment was a group The Zimbardo Prison Experiment. Better falcon hawk event saddle should The Zimbardo Prison Experiment been put The Zimbardo Prison Experiment place The Zimbardo Prison Experiment protect the participants from potential risks. Controversial and Unethical Sigmund Freud And Eriksons Theory On Psychosocial Crises Experiments for Reasearch. For example, half of the The Zimbardo Prison Experiment had to be released due The Zimbardo Prison Experiment emotional distress.
Psychology: The Stanford Prison Experiment - BBC Documentary
Right from the start of the Stanford Prison Experiment there were ethical issues at stake. The participants were not given all the facts about what exactly they were signing and consent forms were not properly completed. Although the participants were informed they would be taking part in a mock prison experiment, it would have come as a complete shock to be arrested at home and strip searched upon entry into the prison — and strip searching without consent is a complete violation of rights.
If modern guidelines were followed, the Stanford Prison Experiment would never have been allowed to take place as it would constitute a serious breach of ethics in accordance with the guidelines of the American Psychological Association, not least because of the fact Zimbardo and his fellow researchers failed to respect the rights of their participants by failing to tell them exactly what they were getting themselves into. Better safeguards should have been put in place to protect the participants from potential risks. Neutral observers should also have been present at all times to prevent the experiment from getting out of hand—as it so clearly did do.
However, despite the storm of criticism faced by Zimbardo in the wake of his controversial prison experiment, some of the lessons learned were later applied to real life prison situations. Your email address will not be published. What are the cognitive consequences of forced compliance? This type of behavior was first discussed in the paper Cognitive Consequences of Forced Compliance written by eminent psychologists, What are the Interpersonal Dynamics in a Simulated Prison? What are the interpersonal dynamics in a simulated prison? The psychological effects of a simulated prison are an interesting area of study and one that was explored in a highly controversial psychological experiment known as the Stanford Prison Experiment.
Over the next few days, the relationships between the guards and the prisoners changed, with a change in one leading to a change in the other. Remember that the guards were firmly in control and the prisoners were totally dependent on them. As the prisoners became more dependent, the guards became more derisive towards them. They held the prisoners in contempt and let the prisoners know it. As the prisoners became more submissive, the guards became more aggressive and assertive. They demanded ever greater obedience from the prisoners.
The prisoners were dependent on the guards for everything so tried to find ways to please the guards, such as telling tales on fellow prisoners. Less than 36 hours into the experiment, Prisoner began suffering from acute emotional disturbance, disorganized thinking, uncontrollable crying, and rage. You can't quit. The next day, the guards held a visiting hour for parents and friends. They were worried that when the parents saw the state of the jail, they might insist on taking their sons home. Guards washed the prisoners, had them clean and polish their cells, fed them a big dinner and played music on the intercom. After the visit, rumor spread of a mass escape plan.
Afraid that they would lose the prisoners, the guards and experimenters tried to enlist the help and facilities of the Palo Alto police department. The guards again escalated the level of harassment, forcing them to do menial, repetitive work such as cleaning toilets with their bare hands. Zimbardo invited a Catholic priest who had been a prison chaplain to evaluate how realistic our prison situation was.
Half of the prisoners introduced themselves by their number rather than name. The chaplain interviewed each prisoner individually. The priest told them the only way they would get out was with the help of a lawyer. Eventually while talking to the priest, broke down and began to cry hysterically, just two previously released prisoners had. The psychologists removed the chain from his foot, the cap off his head, and told him to go and rest in a room that was adjacent to the prison yard. They told him they would get him some food and then take him to see a doctor. While this was going on, one of the guards lined up the other prisoners and had them chant aloud:. The psychologists realized could hear the chanting and went back into the room where they found him sobbing uncontrollably.
The psychologists tried to get him to agree to leave the experiment, but he said he could not leave because the others had labeled him a bad prisoner. Zimbardo had intended that the experiment should run for two weeks, but on the sixth day it was terminated, due to the emotional breakdowns of prisoners, and excessive aggression of the guards. Christina Maslach, a recent Stanford Ph. Filled with outrage, she said, "It's terrible what you are doing to these boys! According to Zimbardo and his colleagues, the Stanford Prison Experiment revealed how people will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play, especially if the roles are as strongly stereotyped as those of the prison guards.
Because the guards were placed in a position of authority, they began to act in ways they would not usually behave in their normal lives. Therefore, the findings support the situational explanation of behavior rather than the dispositional one. Deindividuation may explain the behavior of the participants; especially the guards. This is a state when you become so immersed in the norms of the group that you lose your sense of identity and personal responsibility. The guards may have been so sadistic because they did not feel what happened was down to them personally — it was a group norm. The also may have lost their sense of personal identity because of the uniform they wore.
Also, learned helplessness could explain the prisoner's submission to the guards. The prisoners learned that whatever they did had little effect on what happened to them. In the mock prison the unpredictable decisions of the guards led the prisoners to give up responding. After the prison experiment was terminated, Zimbardo interviewed the participants. The research had felt "real" to them. One guard said, "I was surprised at myself. I made them call each other names and clean the toilets out with their bare hands. I practically considered the prisoners cattle and I kept thinking I had to watch out for them in case they tried something. Another guard said "Acting authoritatively can be fun. Power can be a great pleasure.
He grabbed me by the throat and although he was laughing I was pretty scared. I lashed out with my stick and hit him on the chin although not very hard, and when I freed myself I became angry. Most of the guards found it difficult to believe that they had behaved in the brutalizing ways that they had. Several claimed to be assertive types normally. When asked about the guards, they described the usual three stereotypes that can be found in any prison: some guards were good, some were tough but fair, and some were cruel. Demand characteristics could explain the findings of the study.
Most of the guards later claimed they were simply acting. Because the guards and prisoners were playing a role, their behavior may not be influenced by the same factors which affect behavior in real life. This means the study's findings cannot be reasonably generalized to real life, such as prison settings. However, there is considerable evidence that the participants did react to the situation as though it was real. The guards were always on time and even worked overtime for no extra pay. When the prisoners were introduced to a priest, they referred to themselves by their prison number, rather than their first name. Some even asked him to get a lawyer to help get them out.
The study may also lack population validity as the sample comprised US male students. The study's findings cannot be applied to female prisons or those from other countries. For example, America is an individualist culture were people are generally less conforming and the results may be different in collectivist cultures such as Asian countries. A strength of the study is that it has altered the way US prisons are run. For example, juveniles accused of federal crimes are no longer housed before trial with adult prisoners due to the risk of violence against them. Another strength of the study is that the harmful treatment of participant led to the formal recognition of ethical guidelines by the American Psychological Association.
Studies must now undergo an extensive review by an institutional review board US or ethics committee UK before they are implemented. A review of research plans by a panel is required by most institutions such as universities, hospitals, and government agencies. These boards review whether the potential benefits of the research are justifiable in the light of the possible risk of physical or psychological harm. These boards may request researchers make changes to the study's design or procedure, or in extreme cases deny approval of the study altogether.
The study has received many ethical criticisms, including lack of fully informed consent by participants as Zimbardo himself did not know what would happen in the experiment it was unpredictable. Also, the prisoners did not consent to being 'arrested' at home. Participants playing the role of prisoners were not protected from psychological harm, experiencing incidents of humiliation and distress. For example, one prisoner had to be released after 36 hours because of uncontrollable bursts of screaming, crying and anger. However, in Zimbardo's defense, the emotional distress experienced by the prisoners could not have been predicted from the outset.
The The Zimbardo Prison Experiment were randomly assigned The Zimbardo Prison Experiment one of two social The Zimbardo Prison Experiment, prisoners or guards. The guards called in reinforcements. Christina Maslach, a recent Stanford The Zimbardo Prison Experiment. Are we, The Zimbardo Prison Experiment people, greater than the sum of our roles? Our actions are determined by circumstance. Victor has had The Zimbardo Prison Experiment people around him Health Care Ethics Case Study The Zimbardo Prison Experiment however now that he is at the university he has nobody to George Crabbes Use Of Opium In Literature keep him level headed. Open Document.