zimbardo's study of conformity

Question 1

what was zimbardo’s study of conformity known as

Answer 1

stanford prison experiment

Question 2

procedure for Zimbardo’s study

Answer 2

• mock prison in basement of stanford university
• advertisement for volunteers + picked ‘emotionally stable’
• students randomly assigned to guard or prisoner
• social roles were divided - guards had complete power over prisoners - daily routine

Question 3

findings of SPE

Answer 3

• study stopped after 6 instead of 14 days due to guards behaviour
• guards highlighted differences in social roles (enforcing rules + punishment)
• prisoners became depressed + anxious
• prisoners were released (hunger strike + psychological disturbance)

Question 4

conclusion of SPE

Answer 4

all roles conformed to their role

Question 5

evaluation points for Zimbardo’s research into conformity

Answer 5

demand characteristics
sample bias
ethical issues
consistent debriefing

Question 6

expand on demand characteristics being an evaluation point for Zimbardo’s study

Answer 6

• strong demand characteristics confounded the study
• banuazizi and movahedi found majority of respondents where able to guess hypothesis of study and predict how PTT were expected to behave
• suggests participants may have been playing how they expect roles rather that conforming to their assigned identities.

Question 7

expand on how sample bias is an evaluation point for zimbardos study

Answer 7

• study may lack population validity as sample used US male students
• findings cannot be applied to female prisons or those in other countries
• example - America = individualist culture (people are less conforming) may mean results are different in collectivist cultures

Question 8

expand on the evaluation point of ethical issues for zimbardos study

Answer 8

• ethical criticisms against study including lack of fully informed consent - zimbardo didnt know what would happen in experiment
• prisoners didnt consent to be arrested at home

Question 9

expand on consistent debriefing being an evaluation point for zimbardos study

Answer 9

• extensive group and individual debriefing sessions where held and took questionnaires multiple times after
• zimbardo concluded there were no lasting negative effects
• strength as it follows the ethical guidelines