Stanford Prison Experiment Essay

When the prisoners were brought into the prison, they were treated as real prisoners brought into the prison system but were treated inhumanely by being blind folded and left naked for hours. The guards dressed in prison guard uniforms and monitored the prisoners. The clothing of the guards was also “intimidating” towards the prisoners to show their authority over them. The guards got too caught up in their roles that they began to treat the prisoners harshly and in some cases inhumanely. For instance, the lineups went from a couple of minutes to several

Groupthink can be defined as a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in irrational decision-making. In 1971, twenty-four psychologically stable men took part in a trial known as The Stanford Prison Experiment. The purpose of the experiment was to prove that an individual’s perception of their own power is heavily influenced by social context and societal expectations of their role. The men involved in the experiment were assigned either the role of a prisoner or a guard to represent positions in society, both with power and without. More specifically, the conductors of The Stanford Prison Experiment focused on analyzing the different behavioral

When put into an authoritative position over others, is it possible to claim that with this new power individual(s) would be fair and ethical or could it be said that ones true colors would show? A group of researchers, headed by Stanford University psychologist Philip G. Zimbardo, designed and executed an unusual experiment that used a mock prison setting, with college students role-playing either as prisoners or guards to test the power of the social situation to determine psychological effects and behavior (1971). The experiment simulated a real life scenario of William Golding’s novel, “Lord of the Flies” showing a decay and failure of traditional rules and morals; distracting exactly how people should behave toward one another. This

The article on the Stanford Prison Experiment titled, A Study of Prisoners and Guards in a Simulated Prison and written by the Office of Naval Research, provides us with the overall information that deals with this controversial psychological study. The study was conducted by

The regular routine of the prison from an officer’s point of view consists of locking and unlocking cells, moving prisoners from cells to showers to mess halls, and physically inspecting units to ensure the health, welfare and safety of the prison as a whole. However, solidarity throughout the prison is non-existent – especially vital when officers are heavily outnumbered by criminals. Commands from officers are denied by prisoners, as well as other officers – communication is limited and teamwork by guards is nonexistent. Conover argues that his training is inadequate and could not have prepared him for the reality within prison walls. “You feel it

In America, everyone seems to have a different idea about what goes on behind the grey, dismal walls of prison. For many of us, the idea itself conjures images of coiled barbed wire fences, chains dragging across the ground, somber faces behind rusting bars and those bright orange jumpsuits. These visions come from a variety of sources-- movies we’ve seen, the stories that we’ve been told and our own imagination that is constantly at work. However, the reality of prison life in America can only come from those who have stepped foot inside. Through memoirs written by Danner Darcleight and Ted Conover, I’ve had to reconsider some of these previously held visions of prison life. While Conover writes about the abusive relationship between the correctional officers and the prisons, through Darcleight’s writing we see the rewarding powers of having social life and the hopeful possibility for anyone to attain redemption. The first chapter of Concrete Carnival, by Danner Darcleight, as well as Guarding Sing Sing by Ted Conover has led me to re-evaluate these previously held visions of prison life, including the relationship between guards and inmates, social systems, and redemption.

In addition to adaptive roles, the film also portrays many instances and forms of prison violence. Prisons provide all of the necessary conditions to host violence (288). The film depicts instances of prisoner-prisoner violence in the form of sexual victimization, prison gangs, and illicit violence by officers against

This case study will be assessing and defining the methods and effects that came out of the 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment. This experiment was designed to shed light on the different psychosocial roles which influence the power has on ordinary people in a prisonlike setting. This psychosocial experiment concluded in several unexpended outcomes compared to the original though behind the initial planning and had to be terminated before the experiment was scheduled to end.

”If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.” This small sentence known as the Thomas Theorem carries a lot of meaning in the context of our subjects. The idea of the Thomas Theorem states that if we perceive something to be reality, it will determine how the way we act and think in the situation (Alleydog). The Stanford Prison Experiment is seen in history as one of the most significant psychological experiments of it’s time, and the Abu Ghraib Scandal which happened 30 years later became famous for many of the same reasons. Because of the way this experiment was conducted and the way the real life prison was run, with little control and no intervention in how

September 13th 1971, is known for the biggest and most gruesome prison riot in our nation’s history. The prisoners of the Attica correctional facility decided to take control of the facility by rioting in an attempt to protest their mistreatment by holding guards and civilian employee’s hostage. The prison riot happened at the Attica Correctional Facility in western New York and lasted for four days. But for the victims, hostages, and their families the trauma has continued to play a part in their lives for years since.

The rusted metal door scrapped shut, followed by the jingle of keys in the lock. Footsteps of free people echoed throughout the dry air and bounced off the low ceilings, growing fainter as they moved toward the exit of this icy room. Another door slammed shut, screeching loud metallic echoes in my ears and scattering my brain. After a while, the only echoes, to be heard, were the quiet voices of private conversations and the rustle of paper, which melted together in a blissful orchestration. Florescent lights hum and buzz overhead; one blinked every so often as if it were about to die, much like my happiness had long ago. This description captures the true horror of imprisonment. A close examination will reveal

If you put me in the guard role, I don’t think that I would have been abusive like a lot of the guards turned out to be. In my regular job I am in a position of authority but I don’t feel like I abuse my powers to the extent like the guards were doing in the video. I just don’t have that Alpha type of dominating personality that seemed to be a characteristic among the guards, I don’t think that means I wouldn’t be able to do the job, but I think I would not have been as demeaning towards the inmates.

The movie Attica starring Morgan Freeman and Charles Durning took place on September 9, 1971, at the prison known as “Attica State Prison”. Inmates of the prison took control of the d-yard and took 38 guards as hostages after their continuous peaceful and respectful efforts did not work out in their favor. The prisoners fought for months protesting their reasonable inhumane living conditions such as asking for better food, better living conditions, better health care and sensitivity training for guards just to name a few. In this movie, we investigate the rebellion and the oppression, revealing the institutionalized injustices of the inmates and the aftermath of the whole event.

Zimbardo used props, costume, demeanor, and the set to establish authority. By creating a mock prison that included a jail and a solitary confinement room, Zimbardo made it seem as real as possible which lead to the guards feeling as though they were the people in charge. The prisoners all wore the same uniform and their respective number while the guards wore khaki uniforms and special mirror sunglasses. The prisoners were given numbers to establish the point that they were anonymous and the sunglasses prevented the prisoners from seeing into the guards eyes. The guards were not given a set of instructions on how to act, they simply had to maintain order. By having a

The guards were allowed to leave prison once their shift was done but most would decide to work extra hours without