Stanford Prison Experiment review
In order to understand the basic psychology of human aggression, Dr. Zimbardo conducted a research funded by the Office of Naval Research by transforming a basement of the Stanford University to a prison. The purpose of his study was to investigate the change of the people mind from normal to brutal because of the strict rule, regulation, role and social expectation in dehumanising situation such as the prison. He wanted to test his hypothesis, whether it is “dispositional”. For example, if the prisoners and guards did not change their behaviour to aggressive one, the hypothesis was accepted. In contradiction, if their behaviour changed, the hypothesis was rejected, it meant that the environmental factors influenced their mind.
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They had to completed or answer to the survey questions about their profiles especially their mind state or. In result, 24 respondents with stable behaviour were selected for the test. They were assigned to be 10 prisoners and 11 guards in order to fulfil their task in the “mock-prison” 24 hours per day or 8-hours shifts according to their role for 2 weeks. The guards were taught about the task, role and mission to stimulate a real prison environment. On the other hand the prisoners were treated as real prisoner: liberty limitation, no privacy, under surveillance. All of them had to wear uniforms khaki. All guard could do whatever they want in order to maintain law and order except physical violence. Dr. Zimbardo observed and noted all that happen during the