Philip Zimbardo

Philip Zimbardo is a psychologist best known for his Stanford prison experiment, which studied how individuals' behavior can be influenced by their environment and assigned roles. In this experiment, college students volunteered to be either guards or prisoners in a simulated prison setting. The study revealed how situational factors and authority can lead to unexpected, sometimes negative, behaviors. Zimbardo's work highlights the power of context in shaping actions and has contributed to understanding social psychology, obedience, and the importance of ethical considerations in research.