The Stanford Prison Experiment (Philip Zimbardo)

The Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971, studied how people behave when given roles of authority or submission. College students volunteered to be either guards or prisoners in a simulated prison environment. The experiment rapidly revealed that guards often abused their power, and prisoners showed signs of stress and passivity. It demonstrated how situational factors and assigned roles can influence behavior, sometimes leading individuals to act in ways contrary to their personality. The study highlighted the powerful impact of environment and authority on human behavior, raising important ethical questions about research practices.