Conformity to Social Roles

Question 1

what did zimbardo do in the 1970s

Answer 1

conducted stanford prison experimetn

Question 2

there had bneen many prison riots in America , what did zimbardo want to know

Answer 2

why prison guards behaved brutally was it down to sadistic eprsonalities
or was it their social role that created such behaviour

Question 3

in the stanford prison experimetn SPE what did Zim set up

Answer 3

mock prisn set up in basement of psychology department at Stan Uni

Question 4

what was the sample group of the SPE

Answer 4

21 Men (student volunteers) that tested as emotionally stable

Question 5

how were the students assigned tot eh roles of prisoner or guard

Answer 5

randomly

Question 6

What were the prisoners and guards encouraged to do

Answer 6

conform to social roles

Question 7

how were the prisoners and guards encouraged to conform to social roles

Answer 7

through uniforms worn
instructions about their behaviour

Question 8

UNIFORM what were the prisoners given tow ear

Answer 8

loose smock + cap to cover their hair

Question 9

UNIFORM how were the prisoners identified

Answer 9

by number

names were never used

Question 10

UNIFORM describe the guards uniform and what did this reflect

Answer 10

reflected the status of their role

with

wooden club
handcuffs
mirror shades (so prisoner couldnt see their eyes and reduces the emotional human connection ?)

Question 11

UNIFORM what did the uniforms create and what did it meant

Answer 11

create loss of personality (de-individualisation)

meant they more likely to conform to the percieved social role

Question 12

INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT BEHAVIOUR the prisoners were further encouraged to…

Answer 12

identify withj their role through several pricedures

Question 13

INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT BEHAVIOUR give exmaples of proedures the prisoners & guards went through

Answer 13

prisoners rather than leave early - could apply for parole

guards encoruaged to play role by being reminded had complete power over prisoners

Question 14

FINDINGS describe how did the guards take up theri role

Answer 14

with enthusiasm , treating the prisoners harshly

Question 15

FINDINGS how many days did it take prisoners to rebel

Answer 15

two

Question 16

FINDINGShow did prisoners display rebellion

Answer 16

ripped uniforms
shouted
swore at guards

Question 17

FINDINGShow did guards respond to rebellion

Answer 17

retaliated with fire extinguishers

Question 18

FINDINGSthe what did teh guards highlight

Answer 18

differnces in social roles

Question 19

FINDINGS how did the guards highlight differnces in social roles

Answer 19

creating oppoertunities to enforce rules and administer punishments

Question 20

FINDINGS how did the guards create opportunities to enforce rulse and administer punishments

Answer 20

using divide and rule tactics by playing prisoners off against each other

harassed P constantly to remind them of powerlessness e.g frequent headcounts sometime in the middle of the night

Question 21

FINDINGSafter the rebellion was put down how were the prisoners

Answer 21

depressed
anxious
subdued

Question 22

FINDINGSa prison was released becasue

Answer 22

showed symptons of psychologuical disturbance

Question 23

FINDINGShow many more prisoners released on fourth day

Answer 23

2

Question 24

FINDINGSanother prisoners wnt on a

Answer 24

hunger strike

Question 25

FINDINGSwhat did the guards do to the prisoner that went on the hunger strike ?

Answer 25

force feed him

tehn punish him by putting him in a dark tiny closet (the hole)

Question 26

FINDINGShow would we say guards identified with theri role

Answer 26

more and more closely

Question 27

FINDINGShow did the guards behaviour become

Answer 27

increasingly brutal amnd aggresive

some appearing to enjoy power they had over prisoners

Question 28

FINDINGSwhen did zimbardo end the study

Answer 28

in 6 days rather than 14

Question 29

CONCLUSIONS RELATED TO SOCIAL ROLES social roles appear ot have a strong .

Answer 29

strong influence on an indis behaviour

as

guards became brutal

prisoners became more submissive

Question 30

CONCLUSIONS RELATED TO SOCIAL ROLES how were the roles taken on by particpants

Answer 30

very easily

Question 31

CONCLUSIONS RELATED TO SOCIAL ROLES the roles were easily taken on by particpants as even volunteers who took on roles like prison chaplain found themselves behaving

Answer 31

as if in prison rather than a psychological study

Question 32

outline conclusions

Answer 32

people quickly conform to social roles
even when roles go against oral principles

situational factors largely responsible

non of these pt had ever demonstrated these behaviours previously

Question 33

STRENGTH CONTROL

zimbardo and his colleagues had control over x x

e.g x of pt
x x pt were chosen and x assigned to either x or x

in this way researcehrs ruled out x x x as an x of the findings

if guards and prisoners behvaed very x , but were in these x only by x, then their behaviours x have been x tot eh x itself

this x of x over x increased the x x of the study
so we can be much more x in drawing x about x influence of x on x

Answer 33

STRENGHT OF SPE

zimbardo and his colleagues had control over key variables

e.g selection of pt
emotionally stable pt were chosen and randomly assigned to either guard or prisoner

in this way researcehrs ruled out individual personality differences as an explantion of the findings

if guards and prisoners behvaed very diff , but were in these roles only by chance, then their behaviours must have been due tot eh role itself

this degree of control over variables increased the internal validity of the study
so we can be much more confident in drawing conclusions abouth the influence of roles on conformity

Question 34

limitation - exaggerating power of situation

x accused zimbardo of exaggerating the power of the x to x behaviour , x the role of x

in zimbardos x experient the behaviour of the guards varied x

x behaviour was displayed by around x/x of pt in that role
some guards x prisoners by x support , x , x and x x thta were lost

this suggests x factrs x the x cause of conformity to social roles and x x such as x also play a x
limitation as implying zims x could have been x

Answer 34

fromm accused zimbardo of exaggerating the power of the istuation to influence behaviour , minimising the role of personality

in zimbardos og experient the behaviour of the guards varied dramitaclcly

sadistic behaviour was displayed by around 1/3 of pt in that role
some guards hepled prisoners by offering support , sympathy , cigarrets and reinstatig privileges thta were lost

this suggests situational factrs arent the only cause of conformity to social roles and dispositional factors such as personality also play a role
implying zims conclusions could have been overstated

Question 35

LIMTITATION - LACK OF REALISM

didnt have x of a x prison

x argue pt wer x x rather than x x to a role

cuz pt performance x on x of how x and x are x to be

e.g one guard claimed x his role on x charcter from film x x x

can also xplain why prisoners x - x this was what x x did

this overall suggests x of SPE tell us x about x to x roles in x prisons

Answer 35

LIMITAITON SPE - didnt have realsim of a true prison

psychologists argue pt wer eplay acting rather than genuinley confomring to a role

pt performance based on stereotype of how prisoners and guards are supposed to be

e.g one guard claimed based his role on burtal charcter from film cool hand luke

can also xplain why prisoners rioted - thought this was what real prioners did

this overall suggests findings of SPE tell us little about confomrity to socila roles in actual prisons

Question 36

COUNTERPOINT OF LACK OF REALISM

x argued pt did x as if prisons were x to tehm

e.g x% of prisoners x were about x x
- discussed how its x to leave SPE before x were over

x SPE did x the x roles of prisoners and guards ina x prison giving study a x degree of x x

Answer 36

Mcdermott argued pt did behave as if prisons were real to tehm

e.g 90% of prisoners conversations were about prison life
- discussed how its impossible to leave SPE before sentences were over

suggesting SPE did replicate the socila roels of prisoners and guards ina real prison giving study a high degree of internal validity