Overview
This lecture examines the infamous 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment led by Philip Zimbardo, exploring its methodology, findings, and lasting controversies regarding the effects of power dynamics in prison environments.
Experiment Objectives & Setup
- The experiment aimed to determine whether prison guard brutality stemmed from power or was intrinsic to human nature.
- Funded by the US Office of Naval Research to investigate power hierarchies in prisons.
- 24 white, male college students were selected through personality tests and random assignment to be guards or prisoners.
Prison Simulation Details
- A realistic mock prison was constructed in Stanford's Jordan Hall basement, including cells, bars, and solitary confinement.
- Guards received uniforms, nightsticks, whistles, and mirrored sunglasses to reinforce authority.
- Prisoners were stripped, deloused, given numbered smocks, stocking caps, and leg chains to enforce dehumanization.
Early Experiment Events
- Prisoners were arrested by police, processed, and blindfolded before entering the mock prison.
- Guards were instructed to maintain order by any means short of physical violence; allowed to harass or deprive prisoners of privileges.
- On day two, prisoners rebelled, leading to harsh retaliation by guards using fire extinguishers, forced nudity, and solitary.
Escalation & Psychological Impact
- Guards manipulated prisoners by creating a "privilege cell" and moving inmates to break solidarity and foster distrust.
- Conditions worsened: prisoners faced humiliation, night-time bathroom bans, use of buckets, and increasing aggression from guards.
- Some prisoners experienced acute emotional distress, resulting in withdrawal from the study.
Breakdown of Roles & Conclusion
- Prisoners began to internalize their roles, accepting their labels; some refused to leave even when offered.
- Guards split into types: "tough but fair," lenient, and those who enjoyed humiliating prisoners.
- Zimbardo and staff also internalized their authority roles, delaying intervention.
- The experiment ended early after an outsider, Christina Maslack, challenged the ethics and observed suffering.
Controversy & Critique
- The study's scientific validity is questioned; critics argue results were influenced by staff instructions and lack of rigor.
- Zimbardo later admitted the experiment was more demonstration than science, and its ethics remain debated.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Stanford Prison Experiment — A 1971 psychological study examining the effects of assigned roles in a simulated prison.
- Dehumanization — The process of depriving people of positive human qualities, making them feel less human.
- Privilege Cell — A cell with better conditions given to cooperative prisoners as a manipulation tactic.
- Internalization — When individuals accept and integrate assigned roles or labels into their self-identity.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the ethical debates and scientific critiques surrounding the experiment.
- Be prepared to discuss how environment and assigned roles can shape human behavior.