Assignment 2 - Ethics in research, WI24

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Feb 20, 2024

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Name _________________________ ID# _______________________ COGS 14A Ethics in research The Stanford Prison Experiment Zimbardo and colleagues (1973) wanted to study the effects of defined roles and situational factors on individual behaviors and reactions. College-aged males living in Palo Alto volunteered to participate in the study. They were randomly assigned to play ‘guards’ or ‘prisoners’ in a simulated prison. Participants were told what to expect (e.g. prisoners would have limited freedom and privacy), but were not given explicit instructions on how to behave. The behaviors of all participants were recorded on video and audio tape, along with direct observations made by experimenters. Individual reactions were also measured with personality tests, surveys, and interviews. Interestingly, no specific hypotheses were put forward before the experiment. The only prediction was that the reactions of ‘guards’ and ‘prisoners’ would be significantly different. 1. Based on the above description, how was the independent variable operationalized? 2. How was the dependent variable operationalized? 3. What are some specific problems for objectivity and reliability in how the dependent variable was operationalized? 4. The experimental results state that guards and prisoners both exhibited negative behaviors and emotional states throughout the experiment. Prisoners acted depressed and anxious, and guards became more sadistic and abusive as it went on. This suggests that their individual sense of morality and ethics were overcome by the power of their roles and environment. In subsequent analyses of the Stanford Prison Experiment, it has been suggested that the ‘prison guards’ were given instructions by the experimenters. One was told: “The guards have to know that every guard is going to be what we call a ‘tough guard.’” How might this affect the internal validity of the experiment?

5. The most significant criticisms of the Stanford Prison Experiment center on the ethical concerns it raises about the treatment of participants. One theoretical goal of the experiment was to determine how pathological behavior emerges in a prison environment. Using randomly assigned participants with similar backgrounds was a way of controlling for the differences between prisoners and guards in real prisons. Even though the experiment was reviewed internally before being done and informed consent was given by the participants, the experiment was terminated early due to the adverse psychological effects on the prisoners. How would the ethical principles outlined by the Belmont Report be applied to the experiment if it were proposed today? a) Respect for persons b) Beneficence c) Justice 6. If we were to run a similar study today that attempted to determine how situational roles and environment might overcome an individual’s sense of morality, how could we do it ethically?

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