Philip Zimbardo's Stanford prison experiment

Philip Zimbardo's Stanford prison experiment, conducted in 1971, examined how social roles influence behavior. Volunteers were randomly assigned as guards or prisoners in a simulated prison setting. The study was intended to observe behavioral differences, but it quickly revealed that individuals readily conformed to their roles—guards became authoritarian and abusive, while prisoners showed signs of stress and helplessness. The experiment was terminated early after six days due to the extreme and unethical conduct. It highlighted the powerful influence of situational factors and authority on human behavior, raising important ethical questions about research practices.