1.3 Conformity to Social roles

1.3 Conformity to Social roles

1. Zimbardo et al (1973)

   • Stanford Prison Experiment
     • Z. Set up a mock prison in the basement of Stanford University Psychology department.
       • Selected 21 male participants and assigned either role of prisoner or prison guard.
     • Uniform
       • Prisoners: Loose smock to wear and a cap to cover their hair and were identified by number.
       • Guards: Own uniform to reflect status, wooden bat, handcuffs and shades.
       • Creates de-individualisation and meant they were more likely to conform to their role.
     • Prisoners were encourage to identify with their role in deep ways, such as if they wanted to leave their study, they would request to be 'placed on parole'.
     • Findings
       • Guards took role with enthusiasm, treating prisoners harshly. Within two days prisoners rebelled.
       • After the rebellion, prisoners became depressed, anxious and subdued. 1 prisoner leaving due to psychological disturbance, 2 more released the 4th day and 1 went on a hunger strike.
       • Guards identified closely with their role, becoming aggressive and abusing their power.
       • Study ended after 6 days rather than the 14.

2. Evaluation

   • Weaknesses
     • Lack of realism
       • Banuazizi and Mohavedi argued that participants were merely adhering to their roles, and acting. Their performances were based on behaviour that had seen on tv and characters. E.G on guard said he had based his behaviour off of a character from 'Cool Hand Luke'
     • Role of dispositional influences
       • Fromm (1973) accused Zimbardo of exaggerating the power of situational influence, therefore minimising the influence of personality factors. E.G on a third of the guards behaved in a brutal manner
     • Ethical issues
       • Participants underwent severe trauma as prisoners due to the abuse. Zimbardo had taken his role as superintendent too seriously and when a prisoner asked to be released, did not act as a researcher.
   • Strengths
     • Control over variables
       • Zimbardo had control over who was chosen for the experiment, e.g selection of participants. Emotionally stable individuals were chosen and randomly assigned roles of guard and prisoner.
         • Increases internal validity of the experiment.
     • Replicates real social roles
       • Mark McDermott (2019) argues that participants behaved as if the prison was real to them. 90% of the prisoners' conversations were about prison life, discussing how it was impossible to leave before their sentences were over.
         • Prisoner 416 later explained how he believed it was a real prison ran by psychologists rather than the government.