Conformity to Social Roles Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is meant by conformity to social roles?
Conformity to social roles is when an individual changes their behaviour to fit the role they are expected to play in society.
What factors contribute to conformity to social roles?
Deindividuation and situational factors contribute to conformity.
Deindividuation involves a loss of personal identity, while situational factors include environmental influences like uniforms.
What was the aim of Zimbardo’s research?
To investigate conformity to social roles in a simulated prison environment.
Describe the methodology of Zimbardo’s research.
24 emotionally stable male volunteers were randomly assigned to the roles of prisoner or guard in a simulated prison study at Stanford University.
What happened to the prisoners in Zimbardo’s study?
Prisoners were arrested at home, assigned numbers, and given smocks to increase deindividuation.
What role did Zimbardo play in the study?
Zimbardo acted as the prison warden and observed behaviour for role conformity.
What were the findings of Zimbardo’s research?
Prisoners rebelled, some experienced mental breakdowns, and guards used authoritarian tactics.
Examples of tactics included fire extinguishers, force-feeding, and solitary confinement.
What was a strength of Zimbardo’s research?
High control over variables, as emotionally stable participants were selected and roles were randomly assigned.
How does high control over variables affect Zimbardo’s research?
It reduces the risk that behaviour was due to personality traits, increasing internal validity and adding credibility.
What is another strength of Zimbardo’s research?
Positive real-world applications, influencing prison reform and promoting rehabilitation over punishment.
What practical value does Zimbardo’s research demonstrate?
Encouraged rehabilitation, It helped reduce reoffending rates in some systems, supporting the study’s usefulness.
What is a limitation of Zimbardo’s research?
Overstated conclusions, as only one-third of guards acted brutally while others acted fairly or helped.
What does the limitation regarding overstated conclusions suggest?
It suggests that conformity was not universal, questioning Zimbardo’s conclusions.
What is another limitation of Zimbardo’s research?
Unethical procedures, as prisoners suffered emotional harm and public embarrassment.
How do ethical issues affect Zimbardo’s study?
They lower the credibility of the study, despite attempts to justify realism.
