What Are The Dependent Variables In The Stanford Prison Experiment

The Stanford Prison Study The Stanford Prison Experiment was conducted by a team of researchers, led by Philip Zimbardo at Stanford University, from August 14th to August 20th, 1971 (“Stanford prison experiment,” n.d.). 24 individuals were selected to play the roles of either prisoners or guards from a substantial group of 70 volunteers. All participants lacked a criminal background, weren’t suffering from psychological implications, and weren’t experiencing adverse medical issues. The experiment took place in a mock prison located in the basement of the Stanford Psychology building briefly after each individual was randomly assigned their role in the study.

What Was the Researcher Trying to Study, Hypothesis?

“Zimbardo and his team aimed

In this specific experiment, the independent variable was the random placement as either a prisoner or a guard (Kompa 2012). The dependent variable is the condition being measured or tested in a study. In this specific case, the dependent variable was the resultant observed behavior in the participants throughout the

“Sanitary conditions declined rapidly, exacerbated by the guards' refusal to allow some prisoners to urinate or defecate anywhere but in a bucket placed in their cell” (“Stanford Prison Experiment,” n.d.). The guards utilized various punishments including disallowing the cellmates to empty their sanitation buckets, demanding them to sleep on the concrete, and requiring certain prisoners to be naked. As the experiment continued, several guards became increasingly merciless, and approximately one-third displayed sadistic tendencies (“Stanford prison experiment,” n.d.). The majority of the guards were infuriated after the experiment concluded after only 6 days. Zimbardo mentioned his own immersion in the