1.3 Stanford prison experiment Flashcards
What are social roles?
Social roles are the behaviours that society expects from you.
Give an example of social roles.
People hold different positions in society, such as teenager, grandparent, manager. Social roles are the sets of behaviours and expectations that come with these positions. For example, a women who has a baby might be expected to look after and love her child - these are the behaviours that fulfil the social role of ‘mother’. The expectations of a role are held by society. When we accept a role, we internalise these expectations so that they shape our behaviour.
What did Zimbardo try to see?
He set up a mock prison to see if people would conform to the assigned roles of prisoner or guard.
What was the method Zimbardo (1973) used?
Male students were recruited to act as either guards or prisoners in a
mock prison. They were randomly given the roles of prisoner or guard, and their
behaviour was observed. The prisoners were ‘arrested’ as they went about their
day, taken to ‘prison’ and given uniforms and numbers. The guards also wore
uniforms and mirrored sunglasses.
What were the results of the Zimbardo (1973) experiment?
: Initially, the guards tried to assert their authority and the prisoners
resisted by sticking together. The prisoners then became more passive and
obedient, while the guards invented nastier punishment. The experiment was
abandoned early because some prisoners became very distressed.
What was the conclusion of the Zimbardo (1973) study?
Guards and prisoners adopted their social roles quickly. Zimbardo
claims this shows that our social role can influence our behaviour - seemingly
well-balanced men became unpleasant and aggressive in the role of guard.
Evaluate the study Zimbardo (1973) did.
This was a controlled observation, so there was good control of
variables. However, because it was an artificial environment, the results can’t
really be generalised to real-life situations. In terms of ethics, some participants
found the experience very distressing. There’s also a problem with observer bias,
as Zimbardo ran the prison himself, and later admitted he became too personally
involved in the situation. The conclusion Zimbardo reached doesn’t explain why
only some of the participants acted according to their assigned roles.
