Social influence - Zimabardo research

Question 1

Who investigated conformity into social roles?

Answer 1

• Zimbardo

Question 2

Define conformity into social roles

Question 3

What was the sample that was use

Answer 3

• 24 emotional stable male students

Question 4

outline the procedure of research into conformity

Answer 4

• The participants were randomly allocated the roles of prisoners and guards.
• the prisoners were arrested from their homes when they were searched, deloused and dressed in smock uniforms and assigned numbers which will be used to refer to them.
• the guards were given the uniform a nightstick, mirrored glasses, and were instructed to use no violence
• the uniforms created a loss of personal identity, encouraging participants to conform to social roles.
• the basement of the Stanford University was converted into a mock prison
• the prisoners were placed in cells and a routine was established
• Zimbardo took the role of a superintendent, if the participants wanted to leave they had to go through a parole process.

Question 5

Why were the participants given uniform?

Answer 5

To create a sense of loss of identity so they will conform to their social roles.

Question 6

Was was the aim of Zimbardo’s research?

Answer 6

to investigate how freely the participants conform to the social roles of guards and prisoners in role-playing exercised recreated prison life

Question 7

outline the findings of the research

Answer 7

• within a day the prisoners rebelled against the guards and ripped their numbers off, the guards retaliated by locking them in their cells and confiscating their blankets
• as the experiment went on the punishment of the guards escalated, and prisoners were humiliated and deprived of sleep by guards conducting head counts.
• the prisoners started to refer to themselves by their prison numbers, which showed identification.
• the prisoners became subdued and depressed and 2 prisoners were released early because they showed signs of psychological disturbance.
• role play called after 6 days. it was meant to run for 2 weeks.

Question 8

what happened within a day of the experiment

Answer 8

• within a day the prisoners rebelled against the guards and ripped their numbers off, the guards retaliated by locking them in their cells and confiscating their blankets

Question 9

conclusion.

Answer 9

• the guards and prisoners conformed to their social roles
• social roles have power over individuals, making well-adjusted people capable of brutality towards others.