The Stanford Prison Experiment

The Stanford Prison Experiment, led by Philip Zimbardo, aimed to explore power dynamics between guards and prisoners. Conducted in a mock prison, it quickly escalated as guards became abusive and prisoners submissive. The study was terminated early due to ethical concerns and psychological harm to participants. The experiment remains controversial, with criticisms of its scientific validity and ethical standards.

What was the primary objective of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

• To study the effects of solitary confinement

• To understand the impact of power dynamics in a prison setting

• To evaluate the effectiveness of prison rehabilitation programs

• To analyze the role of nutrition in prisoner behavior

How were participants selected for the Stanford Prison Experiment?

• Through a random lottery

• Based on their academic performance

• After interviews and personality tests

• By their physical fitness levels

What was a key feature of the mock prison environment?

• It had a gym for exercise

• It was designed by former prisoners

• It included solitary confinement cells

• It was located in a real prison

What was the guards' initial response to the prisoners' rebellion?

• They negotiated with the prisoners

• They called off the experiment

• They used fire extinguishers to regain control

• They increased food rations

What did the guards do to maintain control after the rebellion?

• They divided prisoners into privilege and non-privilege cells

• They increased the number of guards

• They allowed prisoners more freedom

• They reduced the duration of the experiment

What psychological effect did the experiment have on the prisoners?

• They internalized their roles as real prisoners

• They developed a sense of camaraderie

• They became more aggressive towards guards

• They became more rebellious

Who intervened to stop the Stanford Prison Experiment?

• A government official

• A recent PhD recipient, Christina Maslack

• A former prisoner

• The head of the psychology department

What did Zimbardo conclude about people's behavior in social settings?

• People are naturally rebellious

• People are willing to fulfill roles given to them

• People are unwilling to follow roles

• People are inherently good

What was one of the main criticisms of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

• It was conducted in a real prison

• It involved too many participants

• It lacked scientific rigor and was more of a demonstration

• It was too short to draw conclusions

What did Thibault Le Texier argue about the experiment?

• It was too short to be significant

• It was nonsense and manipulated by Zimbardo

• It was a well-conducted scientific experiment

• It was a groundbreaking study