Stanford Prison Experiment

Wyatt G., Connor A., Liz T., Brianna H.

Mrs. Menzen

English Honors

9 April, 2015

What was this experiment proving?

It wanted to see how good people can be changed in a bad environment

Scientist, Zimbardo wanted to see whether the brutality in prisons were

involved with sadistic reasons or if it had to do with the prison setting

(Zimbardo) (Psycho)

The Experiment

Found Volunteers through newspaper Picked the best for the job

No mental illness Paid $15 a day 24 out of 70 were chosen

(Zimbardo)

The Experiment

They made 2 groups, people were chosen by flip of a coinPrisoners and Guards

Morphed a basement into a prison Used surveillance cameras to monitor the

prisoners

(Zimbardo)

The Experiment

They brought in the prisoners and were stripped naked and housed down

The guards were able to make their own rules 9 guards and 9 prisoners at a time

(Zimbardo)

The Experiment

Prisoners started to rebel on day 2 Guards brought reinforcements and tore

everything out of their cells The rebellion was temporarily stopped They rewarded the prisoners who weren’t

involved in the rebellion

(Zimbardo)

The Experiment

Then mixed the bad prisoners with the good ones

Ringleader wanted to expose the study A prisoner was released and an escape plan

with the released prisoner was heard about This would take place while they held a

parent/friend visiting hour

(Zimbardo)

The Experiment

The guards then bagged and chained the prisoners together

Took them to a separate place to realize the escape plan was a fake

A local priest from a local prison came to evaluate the experiment on how close it is to the real thing

(Zimbardo)

(Psycho)

Implications/Outcome

Putting good people into bad environment Reaction of human mind to certain situations Simple test became a reality to those involved Pushed the limits of subjects

How it Connects

Marlow is a sailor travelling through the Congo looking for a man named Kurtz

Kurtz is a white man among the Native Africans there, he saw them as a lesser people

the guards being higher people compared to the prisoners

(Cherry)

What about in todays society?

This entire experiment would be looked at as wrong and unacceptable

Even though we know it still happens and we don’t do anything about it is still wrong

(Cherry)

Works Cited

Cherry, Kendra. "The Stanford Prison Experiment." The Stanford Prison Experiment. About Education, n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2015. <http://psychology.about.com/od/classicpsychologystudies/a/stanford-prison-experiment.htm>.

"Psycho Hawks." Psycho Hawks. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.

Zimbardo, Philip G. "Stanford Prison Experiment." The : A Simulation Study of the Psychology of Imprisonment. Stanford University, n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2015. <http://www.prisonexp.org/psychology/23>.