by Victor Mushimbami - Tuesday, 25 April 2023, 10:01 AM: The Stanford Prison Experiment continues to be a Shock



<script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5632014805880740"></script>


Image by BBC


Introduction

The Stanford Prison Experiment was a controversial and influential study of human behavior in a simulated prison environment. The experiment, conducted by psychologist Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues in 1971, involved 24 male students who volunteered to participate in a study of prison life. They were randomly assigned to play the roles of either prisoners or guards in a mock prison set up in the basement of the Stanford psychology building. The experiment was designed to last for two weeks, and the participants were paid $15 per day. The researchers wanted to observe how the participants would behave and interact in their assigned roles, and how the situation would affect their attitudes and emotions. However, the experiment had to be stopped after only six days, because of the extreme and unexpected outcomes that occurred. According to Leithead (2011), the experiment was terminated "after a string of mental breakdowns, an outbreak of sadism, and a hunger strike" (para. 2).

The Harm Caused by the Experiment

The experiment caused more harm than good, both to the participants and to the field of psychology. The participants who played the prisoners suffered from various forms of psychological distress, such as depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and loss of identity. They were subjected to harsh and humiliating treatment by the participants who played the guards, who became increasingly abusive and authoritarian as the experiment progressed. Leithead (2011) describes some of the methods that the guards used to torment the prisoners: "It began by stripping them naked, putting bags over their heads, making them do press-ups or other exercises and humiliating them" (para. 12). The guards also deprived the prisoners of sleep, food, and sanitation, which violated their basic human rights. The experiment also harmed the reputation and credibility of psychology as a science, as it raised serious ethical and methodological issues that challenged the validity and generalizability of the findings.

How the Experiment Could Have Been Controlled

The experiment could have been controlled in several ways to prevent or reduce the harm caused by it. Firstly, the researchers should have followed the ethical principles and guidelines of conducting psychological research, such as obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, minimizing harm, and debriefing the participants. They should have also monitored the experiment more closely and intervened when the situation became harmful or dangerous. They should have also clarified the purpose and expectations of the experiment to the participants and reminded them that they could withdraw at any time. Secondly, the media and the public should have been more aware and critical of the experiment and questioned its validity and relevance. They should have also demanded more transparency and accountability from the researchers and exposed the harm and the injustice of the experiment. Lastly, the participants themselves should have resisted the pressure and the influence of the situation and asserted their rights and dignity. They should have also supported each other and challenged the authority of the guards and the researchers. They should have also realized that they were not real prisoners or guards, but human beings who deserved respect and compassion.

Conclusion

The Stanford Prison Experiment was a landmark study that revealed the power of the situation and its role in shaping human behavior and personality. However, it also showed the potential for harm and abuse that can occur in such settings and the ethical and methodological dilemmas that can arise in psychological research. The experiment has been widely criticized and debated, but it has also inspired further research and education on topics such as social psychology, ethics, human rights, and criminal justice. The experiment remains a valuable and relevant source of insight and reflection for students, researchers, and the public.

References

Leithead, A. (2011, August 17). Stanford Prison Experiment continues to shock. BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14564182
Ogden, J. (2018). The Psychology of Health and Illness. Open Access Course. P. 30.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Impact of Social Media on us by Victor Mushimbami

Image
  Impact of Social Media  Pexels-photo     Social media is becoming a normal part of our lives. It has been observed that “90 percent of American teenagers use social media and the average teen spends more than five hours daily on social media” (Burke and Pruszynski, 2022, Social media). By “social media”, we mean platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, etc. More are still being created. I deleted my TikTok account because I had no choice on what to watch and everyone was dancing! (Burke and Pruszynski, 2022). We are grateful to the social media creators because social media connects us with people from different parts of the world, enabling us to collaborate and appreciate diversity. We can also communicate easily with family and friends who are far away from us. For example, my two sisters, Kezia and Prisca Mushimbami, are out of Africa in the far western world, but we can talk to them as if they are nearby and we can also discuss family issues. However, so
Read more

There is more to life than being happy by: Victor Mushimbami

Image
   <script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5632014805880740"      crossorigin="anonymous"></script> My first born daughter, Nuru!    We often assume that the ultimate goal of life is to be happy. We hear people say that happiness comes from success, a good job, a good marriage, or a good partner. This leads us to pursue these things, hoping that they will make us happy. Some of us even idealize a perfect person who will fulfill all our desires. (Esfahani, 2017). But is this really the best way to live? After doing some research and listening to health professionals, I learned that what we think will make us happy can actually make us anxious. I have seen this happen to many people around me. The question is, what truly makes us happy? Psychological studies suggest that chasing happiness can backfire. Have you noticed that suicide rates in Zambia have increased? This is not only a problem in Zambia,
Read more

NO NATION CAN DEVELOP THROUGH MORAL DECAY BY ALLAN MUFWANA

Image
<script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5632014805880740"></script>    Every country in the world is governed by its Constitution which is the supreme law of the land. The Constitution represents the common and shared values under which a nation agrees to govern itself and any citizen or foreigner who goes against the Constitution of the land goes against the agreed and shared values of that nation and breaks the law.     Zambia is a sovereign nation governed through the Constitution. No one is above the Constitution. We are One Nation One Zambia. It's against this background that any activities or behavior that goes against the common and agreed shared values of the nation should be condemned in the strongest terms possible and the law applied rightfully to deter immoral conduct.    It's a known fact that Zambia is a Christian nation as enshrined in he
Read more