In 1971 psychology professor Phillip Zimbardo conducted a study to look at the roles people play in prison situations. He discovered that people are very susceptible to behaving in accordance with the social norms of the roles they are expected to play.

1. The Stanford prison experiment
How our environment can affect our behaviour

2. In 1971 psychology professor Phillip Zimbardo conducted
a study to look at the roles people play in prison situations
24 college students were split into two groups and
assigned to be either a ‘prisoner’ or a ‘guard’

3. Philip
Zimbardo

4. Guards were given a uniform, wooden batons and dark
sunglasses to avoid eye contact
Prisoners were dressed in smocks and caps and made to
wear a chain around one ankle
The guards were briefed not to physically harm the prisoners

6. Participants were put in a mock prison

7. Prisoner 218
present
Prisoner 219
present
Prisoner 220
present

8. The first day was relatively uneventful

9. Quiet cell 3 — I’m
in charge here!

10. By the second day prisoners had started to revolt
One cell blockaded themselves in with their beds and
refused orders to come out

11. That’ll teach them
for trying to boss
us around!

12. Guards from other shifts volunteered to work extra hours
to help subdue the revolt

13. If you don’t come
out, we’ll punish the
other prisoners
They’re bluffing —
ignore them…

14. In order to control the prisoners the guards started using
psychological tactics
Privileges such as better meals were given to well
behaved prisoners
Punishments such as taking away mattresses or
enforcing repetitive exercises were administered for
failing to obey rules

15. When I get out
of here I’m going to eat
an enormous
cheeseburger

16. Until you can turn up
for parole on time, you
can sleep on the floor!

17. 20 more press
ups — Go!
Why did the
others have to barricade
themselves in their
cell?!
This is
so unfair!

18. Six days in, the planned two week experiment was
terminated due to extreme guard behaviour and the
psychological effect being part of the study was having
on all participants

19. Conclusions
1. People are very susceptible to behaving in accordance with
the social norms of the roles they are expected to play
2. The situation we find ourselves in has a much greater
bearing on our behaviour than we would like to admit (and
the effect of our ‘innate’ personality is much weaker than
we would like to think)

20. Reference
The Stanford Prison Experiment: A Simulation Study of the Psychology of Imprisonment
Conducted August 1971 at Stanford University
Researchers: Philip Zimbardo, Craig Haney, W. Curtis Banks, David Jaffe