This psychologist led the Stanford Prison Experiment
(Philip) Zimbardo
The volunteers of the experiment
Male college students
A psychologist focusing on how the guards’ harsh punishments were learned through rewards and consequences would use this perspective.
behavioral perspective
Prisoners followed guards’ instructions even when uncomfortable, showing the power of
Obedience
Participants were randomly assigned to these two roles
Guards and Prisoners
The experiment was originally planned to last this many days
14
This perspective might interpret guards’ aggressive actions as influenced by unconscious drives and inner conflicts.
Psychodynamic/psychoanalytic perspective
Guards acted more harshly after putting on uniforms and sunglasses, which made them feel anonymous. This is an example of
Deindividuation
Prisoners were identified by this instead of their names to make them feel less individual.
Numbers
The experiment had to be ended early because participants were experiencing extreme emotional
stress
A researcher using this perspective would examine how the prison environment and social context shaped prisoners’ and guards’ behavior.
sociocultural perspective
Prisoners and guards behaved according to the expectations of their assigned positions, showing the influence of
Roles (conformity to social roles)
Guards were given this to give them a sense of anonymity
sunglasses
The study actually lasted this many days
6
Observing that prisoners began to adopt powerless mindsets, this perspective emphasizes how people process and interpret events.
cognitive perspective
DAILY DOUBLE!!!!!!!
If some guards were to enforce rules together without questioning each other, allowing harsh behavior to escalate, then this would illustrate
Groupthink
Zimbardo acted as both the lead researcher and the prison ‘warden,’ which may have influenced participants’ behavior and reduced the study’s _____
reliability
This is where the study specifically took place
basement of psychology building in Stanford University
This perspective would focus on how the guards’ sense of authority and the prisoners’ loss of individuality affected their personal growth
Prisoners began to adjust their behavior to match the expectations of the guards and other prisoners (become more socially accepted), demonstrating
Conformity