Zimbardo (Philip Zimbardo)

Philip Zimbardo is an American psychologist best known for the Stanford prison experiment conducted in 1971. This study examined how people conform to roles, particularly in a prison setting, revealing that individuals can exhibit extreme behavior based on situational factors and assigned roles. The experiment highlighted the psychological impact of authority and environment, raising ethical concerns about research practices. Zimbardo's work contributed to our understanding of social psychology, particularly how context influences behavior, and has implications for understanding institutional abuse and conformity in everyday life. He has also been involved in discussions about heroism and social responsibility.