What was the purpose of Stanford prison experiment?
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The purpose of the Stanford Prison Experiment was to investigate the psychological effects of perceived power and authority in a simulated prison environment. The experiment aimed to understand how individuals adapt to their assigned roles, specifically focusing on the behavior of individuals in positions of power and those in subordinate positions.
To conduct the Stanford Prison Experiment, psychologist Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues set up a mock prison in the basement of Stanford University's psychology building. They recruited mentally and emotionally stable male college students and randomly assigned them to play the role of either prisoners or guards. The participants were informed about the basic rules but were given considerable freedom to enforce those rules as they saw fit, within certain ethical boundaries.
The experiment intended to observe how the participants' behaviors and attitudes changed over time. However, due to the extreme abuse and mistreatment inflicted by the guards on the prisoners, the experiment was cut short after only six days instead of the planned two weeks. The dramatic results of the study highlighted the influence of situational factors on human behavior and raised ethical concerns regarding the well-being of participants in psychological experiments.
Understanding the purpose of the Stanford Prison Experiment provides insight into how power dynamics and authority can impact individuals' behavior in certain environments. It serves as a cautionary tale and a source of valuable lessons in psychology and ethics.