WHY WAS STANFORD’S PRISON EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED?
In order to study psychological effects of prison life a experiment was conducted called “Stanford Prison Experiment”. The psychologists wanted to study what were the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. To do this experiment, a team of researchers led by the famous psychology professor named, “Philip Zimbardo” finally decided to set up a replicated prison so that they can carefully note effects of the behavior of all those within the walls of prison.
“What happens when you put good people in an evil place? Does humanity win over evil, or does evil triumph? These are some of the questions we posed in this dramatic simulation of prison life conducted in the summer of 1971 at Stanford University. How we went about testing these questions and what we found may astound you. Our planned two-week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be ended prematurely after only six days because of what the situation was doing to the college students who participated. In only a few days, our guards became sadistic and our prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress”. –Philip G. Zimbardo SETTING UP OF THE EXPERIMENT: This idea was advertised and as a result more than 70 applicants answered the ad. The selected ones were interviewed & personality tests were done to eliminate candidates with psychological problems, any medical disabilities, or history of crime/drug abuse. Eventually, 24 college students from the U.S. and Canada who happened to be in the Stanford area and wanted to participate in this experiment & earn $15/ day. They reacted normally when tested & observed. The study of prison life soon began, with a group of healthy, intelligent & middle-class males. …show more content…
These boys were divided into two groups & the decision was taken by a flip of the coin. Half of them were chosen to be guards & others to be prisoners. At the start of this experiment there were no differences between boys who acted as prisoner & guards.
To closely observe the prison environment, the services of experienced consultants were taken. There was a former prisoner who had served approximately “seventeen years” behind bars. This helped us to be aware, of what were the difficulties faced by a prisoner.
CONSTRUCTION OF PRISON:
Following steps were taken to make an environment of a prison.
• It was constructed by joining each end of a corridor in the basement of “Stanford's Psychology Department” building. That corridor was labeled as "The Yard" where prisoners were allowed to walk, eat, or exercise. For going to toilet the prisoners were blindfolded so they don’t the way out of prison.
• To create the prison cells, the doors from laboratory rooms were taken off & were replaced with doors of steel bars. • At the end of hall a small opening was made so that the researchers could videotape & record every event which happened in the prison. • There was a small closet which was called "The Hole," or imprisonment. It was made for a "bad prisoner". • No windows or clocks were placed. With these special features in the replicated prison, this jail was ready to receive its first prisoners. These prisoners were kept first in the detention cells of the “Palo Alto Police Department”. ARRIVAL OF PRISONERS: The prisoner arrived blindfolded. They were brought in the jail & they could feel the seriousness of the warden. But however they were now called “prisoners”. There was addition to the humiliation as their clothes were stripped off naked. They were sprayed in order to check if they carried any germs or lice. Their heads were shaved & they were given a uniform without underclothes. Each prisoner had a heavy metal chain around his foot & wore rubber shoes. They were given nylon caps to cover their head. To make them feel humiliated & emasculated these steps were taken. As there were no underclothes, they started to sit differently more like woman than a man. In order to remind every prisoner the oppressiveness & cruelty of environment , their foot had metal chains, which was uncommon in most prisoners. The i.d card system was used so that every prisoner is anonymous to each other. GUARDS: The guards were not trained to be gaurds & they were free to do anything in order
In order to study psychological effects of prison life a experiment was conducted called “Stanford Prison Experiment”. The psychologists wanted to study what were the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. To do this experiment, a team of researchers led by the famous psychology professor named, “Philip Zimbardo” finally decided to set up a replicated prison so that they can carefully note effects of the behavior of all those within the walls of prison.
“What happens when you put good people in an evil place? Does humanity win over evil, or does evil triumph? These are some of the questions we posed in this dramatic simulation of prison life conducted in the summer of 1971 at Stanford University. How we went about testing these questions and what we found may astound you. Our planned two-week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be ended prematurely after only six days because of what the situation was doing to the college students who participated. In only a few days, our guards became sadistic and our prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress”. –Philip G. Zimbardo SETTING UP OF THE EXPERIMENT: This idea was advertised and as a result more than 70 applicants answered the ad. The selected ones were interviewed & personality tests were done to eliminate candidates with psychological problems, any medical disabilities, or history of crime/drug abuse. Eventually, 24 college students from the U.S. and Canada who happened to be in the Stanford area and wanted to participate in this experiment & earn $15/ day. They reacted normally when tested & observed. The study of prison life soon began, with a group of healthy, intelligent & middle-class males. …show more content…
These boys were divided into two groups & the decision was taken by a flip of the coin. Half of them were chosen to be guards & others to be prisoners. At the start of this experiment there were no differences between boys who acted as prisoner & guards.
To closely observe the prison environment, the services of experienced consultants were taken. There was a former prisoner who had served approximately “seventeen years” behind bars. This helped us to be aware, of what were the difficulties faced by a prisoner.
CONSTRUCTION OF PRISON:
Following steps were taken to make an environment of a prison.
• It was constructed by joining each end of a corridor in the basement of “Stanford's Psychology Department” building. That corridor was labeled as "The Yard" where prisoners were allowed to walk, eat, or exercise. For going to toilet the prisoners were blindfolded so they don’t the way out of prison.
• To create the prison cells, the doors from laboratory rooms were taken off & were replaced with doors of steel bars. • At the end of hall a small opening was made so that the researchers could videotape & record every event which happened in the prison. • There was a small closet which was called "The Hole," or imprisonment. It was made for a "bad prisoner". • No windows or clocks were placed. With these special features in the replicated prison, this jail was ready to receive its first prisoners. These prisoners were kept first in the detention cells of the “Palo Alto Police Department”. ARRIVAL OF PRISONERS: The prisoner arrived blindfolded. They were brought in the jail & they could feel the seriousness of the warden. But however they were now called “prisoners”. There was addition to the humiliation as their clothes were stripped off naked. They were sprayed in order to check if they carried any germs or lice. Their heads were shaved & they were given a uniform without underclothes. Each prisoner had a heavy metal chain around his foot & wore rubber shoes. They were given nylon caps to cover their head. To make them feel humiliated & emasculated these steps were taken. As there were no underclothes, they started to sit differently more like woman than a man. In order to remind every prisoner the oppressiveness & cruelty of environment , their foot had metal chains, which was uncommon in most prisoners. The i.d card system was used so that every prisoner is anonymous to each other. GUARDS: The guards were not trained to be gaurds & they were free to do anything in order