Effects Of The Stanford Prison Experiment

The Stanford prison experiment provided valuable insights into human psychology and the power of authority. It demonstrated how normal people can become dictators or worse depending on circumstances and situations. However, the experiment also caused harm to participants. The scientists could not intervene, as their goal was to discover what would happen. The media could have broadcasted or televised the experiment, allowing participants to behave differently under supervision. The public could have visited the location as if they were relatives to the prisoners, imposing limitations on authoritarian power. Additionally, the prisoners could have defied the prison wardens' orders and used violence as a reminder that the experiment was just an

The study aimed to investigate the psychological effects of perceived power, focusing on the struggle between prisoners and prison officers. The experiment was funded by the U.S. Office of Naval Research and took place in the basement of Stanford University’s psychology building. The researchers recruited 24 male students for a two-week experiment and randomly assigned them to play the roles of prisoners or guards in a simulated prison environment (Kendra Cherry, 2023). The guards were given no specific training or guidelines, except that they were not allowed to physically harm the prisoners. The experiment quickly spiraled out of control as the guards began to exhibit abusive behavior towards the prisoners, who in turn became passive and showed signs of extreme stress and anxiety.

The experiment was originally intended to last for two weeks, but it had to be terminated after only six days due to the extreme psychological distress experienced by the participants. The study has been widely criticized for its ethical and methodological shortcomings, but it remains one of the most well-known and controversial experiments in the history of psychology (Kendra Cherry,