Conformity To Social Roles Flashcards
What does conforming to social roles mean
Changing your behavior to suit that of the role you are given in a situation or society
What’s deindividuation
The process that occurs when one loses sense of individual identity so that social, moral and societal constraints on behavior are loosened
What’s situational factors
any environmental variable that may trigger or cause change in behavior
Who researched conformity of social roles
Zimbardo et al (1973)
What was Zimbardos aim in his study into social roles
Investigate how readily people would conform to new roles assigned to them
What was the sample of Zimbardos experiment
24 well adjusted, healthy male volunteers
Was Zimbardos study an experiment or observation
OBSERVATION
- controlled
- participant
- overt
What was the procedure of Zimbardos experiment into social roles
- local police arrested nine ‘prisoners’ taken to Stanford university
- they were given some rights 3 meals, 3 supervised toilet trips, 2 visits per week
- only referred to by their prison number
- guards worked in shifts and were given a uniform aswell as a wooden club, handcuffs, kegs and mirror shades
What were the findings of Zimbardos study into conformity
The guards harassed the prisoners and conformed to their perceived roles that the study had to be discontinued after 6 days
The prisoners became depressed and anxious causing mental breakdowns: 1 prisoner on the first day and 2 more on the fourth day
Conclusion of Zimbardos study into conforming to social roles
The situational factors of the prison environment played a crucial role in creating the guards brutal behavior
Strength of zimbardo research
P: there is real-world application of Zimbardos research
E: for example, the nazi soldiers conformed to their roles more recently in Abu Ghraib in Iraq
E: Zimbardo claims the atrocities carried out are due to situational factors that cause the abuse in power
L: Zimbardos research therefore has clear ecological validity
Weakness off Zimbardos research
P:the experiment had ethical issues
E: for example, there was a lack of informed consent in that participants were unaware they would be arrested at home
E:additionally they were deceived and no protection from psychological harm as many had mental breakdowns
L: Although the ethical guidelines of Stanford uni were followed it’s important to question whether the ends justified the means
