1. STANFORD PRISON
EXPERIMENT
ED 504 – Group 3

2. WHO WAS THE PRIMARY
RESEARCHER(S)?
Philip Zimbardo

3. WHAT WAS THE TIME PERIOD IN WHICH
THE RESEARCH TOOK PLACE?
The study began on Sunday, August 17,
1971 and only continued for 6 days due
to what was happening to the
participants.

4. WHO WERE THE PARTICIPANTS?
 The participants for this particular study included 24
undergraduate students from a group of 70
volunteers. These 24 undergraduate students were
chosen based off three reasons, and these reasons
were that they didn't have a criminal background,
didn't show any psychological issues, and didn't have
any major medical issues. From there, the 24 students
were assigned as either a security guard or a prisoner
and were paid $15.00 a day for a one-to-two week
period.

5. METHOD
 The study is usually described as an experiment with the independent
variable being the conditions the participants are randomly allocated
to: either prisoner or guard. The dependent variable is the resulting
behavior. The study can also be described as a simulation as it was
attempting to create a prison like environment.
 Data collected were combinations of both quantitative and
qualitative data. The main data though was qualitative and was
obtained using video, audiotape and direct observation.

6. RESULTS
• Behaviours and attitudes are strongly
influenced by social roles
• Participants in prison guard study displayed
brutal behaviour whereas such tendencies
were not apparent previously

7. RESULTS
Guards and prisoners alike had difficulty believing
that they were capable of their respective cruel
and submissive behaviour
Prisoners report that guards conformed to the usual
three stereotypes:
Tough
Fair
Cruel

8. ETHICAL CRITICISM
 Lack of fully informed consent by participants
 High levels of humiliation and distress experienced by
prisoners
 Lack of protection from psychological and physical
harm
*Experiment was unpredictable. Above implications
could not be predetermined.