Stanford Prison Experiment

The Stanford prison experiment was a famous psychology study that was conducted in 1971 by Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues at Stanford University. The study aimed to examine the psychological effects of power and authority on individuals by simulating a prison environment.

In the study, 24 male participants were randomly assigned to be either "prisoners" or "guards" in a simulated prison located in the basement of a Stanford University building. The participants were paid to participate in the study, which was intended to last two weeks.

The results of the study showed that the power dynamics between the guards and prisoners quickly escalated, with the guards becoming increasingly abusive and authoritarian and the prisoners becoming increasingly submissive and compliant. The guards imposed harsh rules and punishment on the prisoners, who were subjected to sleep deprivation, isolation, and other forms of psychological abuse.

The Stanford prison experiment used a sample of college students who were recruited to participate in the study. The sample was selected from a pool of more than 70 college students who responded to an advertisement offering paid participation in a study of "prison life." The students were selected based on their physical and mental health, as well as their ability to follow instructions and adhere to the rules of the study. The sample was then randomly assigned to the role of "prisoner" or "guard," with the intention of studying the effects of the prison environment on behavior.

Philip Zimbardo conducted the Stanford prison experiment in 1971, using a sample of male college students as participants. The study was designed to examine the psychological effects of power and social roles on behavior, specifically in the context of a simulated prison environment. Zimbardo and his team recruited 24 male college students to participate in the study, selecting them based on their psychological and physical health, as well as their lack of criminal history. The participants were randomly assigned to either the role of "prisoner" or "guard" in the simulated prison, and the study was intended to last for two weeks. However, it was terminated after just six days due to the disturbing and unethical behavior that emerged among the participants.