The Stanford Prison Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted in 1971 by psychologist Philip Zimbardo, aimed to study the effects of perceived power in a simulated prison environment. College students were assigned roles as guards or prisoners. The experiment, intended to last two weeks, had to be halted after only six days due to the guards' abusive behavior and the prisoners' emotional distress. It revealed how situational factors and assigned roles can influence behavior, demonstrating that ordinary people can commit harmful acts under certain conditions, raising ethical questions about psychological research and the nature of authority.
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The Stanford prison experiment, conducted in 1971 by psychologist Philip Zimbardo, investigated the psychological effects of perceived power within a simulated prison environment. College students were assigned roles as either guards or prisoners. The experiment, intended to last two weeks, quickly escalated as guards became abusive and prisoners showed extreme stress, leading to early termination after just six days. The study demonstrated how situational factors and assigned roles can significantly influence behavior, highlighting issues of authority, conformity, and the potential for cruelty in social dynamics, raising ethical concerns about psychological research methods.