Stanford Prison Experiment Philip Zimbardo

The Stanford Prison Experiment Philip Zimbardo was a psychology professor at Stanford University who was interested in finding out what happens if we “put the good people in an evil place”. He questioned whether the situation outside one's control (the institution) or inside of an individual (attitude, belief, values) allows one to rise above a negative environment. To test this he set up a study he called the “Stanford Prison Experiment” which is now known as one of the most notorious experiments.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate “how readily people would conform to the role of a prisoner and guard in a role playing experience that stimulated prison life”. Zimbardo transformed the basement of the psychology building located at Stanford University into a

More than seventy applicants answered, they were then given a diagnostic test and interviews to eliminate candidates with medical disabilities or psychological problems. The study contained 24 male college students who were randomly assigned to the role of prisoner or guard. The men were paid $15 per day to participant in this study, which was the main reason most men applied. Upon arrival, all the prisoners were searched and stripped naked. Both the prisoners and guards were then given uniforms. The guards were given military uniforms with a whistle and sunglasses (to eliminate the ability to see into their eyes). Prisoners were given clothes that contained an ID number, a cap, and a chain to wear on their ankle. The goal of the uniforms was to give the guards a sense of power, while making the prisoners feel emasculated. The guards were not trained on how to act and they were told to do what they thought necessary to keep order within the prison, without the use of physical violence. The study lasted a total of six days, while it was originally planned to last two