The Zimbardo experiment, also known as the Stanford Prison Experiment, was a study conducted by psychologist Philip Zimbardo in 1971 to examine the psychological effects of perceived power on individuals. The experiment aimed to investigate how readily people would conform to the roles of prisoner and guard in a simulated prison environment.
Participants, who were college students, were randomly assigned to the roles of either prisoners or guards. The study was planned to last for two weeks, but it had to be stopped after only six days due to the extreme psychological and emotional distress experienced by the participants.
The guards quickly embraced their roles, displaying abusive, authoritarian behavior towards the prisoners. They subjected them to humiliation, psychological manipulation, and even physical violence. The prisoners, on the other hand, became passive, submissive, and showed signs of extreme stress and depression.
The experiment sparked ethical controversies as it highlighted the potential dangers of giving individuals power over others and raised concerns about the well-being of participants. However, it also shed light on the situational factors that can influence human behavior and highlighted the power of social roles.
What was the zimbardo experiment
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