The Stanford prison experiment: how our environment can affect our behaviour

The Stanford prison experimentHow our environment can affect our behaviour

In 1971 psychology professor Phillip Zimbardo conducted a study to look at the roles people play in prison situations

24 college students were split into two groups and assigned to be either a ‘prisoner’ or a ‘guard’

Philip Zimbardo

Guards were given a uniform, wooden batons and dark sunglasses to avoid eye contact

Prisoners were dressed in smocks and caps and made to wear a chain around one ankle

The guards were briefed not to physically harm the prisoners

Participants were put in a mock prison

Prisoner 218 present

Prisoner 219 present

Prisoner 220 present

The first day was relatively uneventful

Quiet cell 3 — I’m in charge here!

By the second day prisoners had started to revolt

One cell blockaded themselves in with their beds and refused orders to come out

That’ll teach them for trying to boss us around!

Guards from other shifts volunteered to work extra hours to help subdue the revolt

If you don’t come out, we’ll punish the other prisoners

They’re bluffing — ignore them…

In order to control the prisoners the guards started using psychological tactics

Privileges such as better meals were given to well behaved prisoners

Punishments such as taking away mattresses or enforcing repetitive exercises were administered for failing to obey rules

When I get out of here I’m going to eat

an enormous cheeseburger

Until you can turn up for parole on time, you can sleep on the floor!

20 more press ups — Go!

Why did the others have to barricade

themselves in their cell?!

This is so unfair!

Six days in, the planned two week experiment was terminated due to extreme guard behaviour and the psychological effect being part of the study was having on all participants

Conclusions

1. People are very susceptible to behaving in accordance with the social norms of the roles they are expected to play

2. The situation we find ourselves in has a much greater bearing on our behaviour than we would like to admit (and the effect of our ‘innate’ personality is much weaker than we would like to think)

Reference

The Stanford Prison Experiment: A Simulation Study of the Psychology of Imprisonment Conducted August 1971 at Stanford University Researchers: Philip Zimbardo, Craig Haney, W. Curtis Banks, David Jaffe