Fall 2024 PSY199 Seminar 11 Day 2 PDF

11/8/24 PSY199: THE MIND AND THE PERSON ‘- Seminar 11 Day 2 1 1 CONFORMITY TO GROUP NORMS: ‘- STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT & BBC PRISON EXPERIMENT...

11/8/24 PSY199: THE MIND AND THE PERSON ‘- Seminar 11 Day 2 1 1 CONFORMITY TO GROUP NORMS: ‘- STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT & BBC PRISON EXPERIMENT 2 2 1  11/8/24 STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT: ‘- OVERVIEW, IMPLICATIONS, & LIMITATIONS 3 3 Philip George Zimbardo 23 March 1933 – Present Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Stanford University Stanford Prison Experiment (1971) ‘- The Lucifer Effect: Understanding how Good People Turn Evil (2007) Hero Imagination Project Image credit: http://www.zimbardo.com/ 4 4 2  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment https://www.prisonexp.org/ ‘- 5 5 Stanford Prison Experiment Aim of the study ‘- 6 6 3  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment Aim of the study To understand the behaviour and development of norms and effects of the roles, labels and social expectations in a ‘- simulated prison environment 7 7 Stanford Prison Experiment How were participants recruited? Were they paid for their participation? If applicable, how many were recruited? ‘- 8 8 4  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment How were participants recruited? Were they paid for their participation? If applicable, how many were recruited? Through newspaper advertisements and yes, they were paid for their participation. ‘- 24 were chosen: 12 to role play prisoners (9 plus 3 alternates) and 12 to play guards (9 plus 3 alternates) 9 9 Stanford Prison Experiment How did the investigators select which participants would become the guards and who would be the prisoners? ‘- 10 10 5  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment How did the investigators select which participants would become the guards and who would be the prisoners? Through a random coin toss; there were no differences between the guards and the prisoners‘- 11 11 Stanford Prison Experiment Were instructions given to the guards concerning what they could or could not do? If yes, what were the instructions? ‘- 12 12 6  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment Were instructions given to the guards concerning what they could or could not do? If yes, what were the instructions? Yes, they were given a brief orientation. They were told they ‘- could do anything except hit the prisoners and were told to maintain order in the prison. 13 13 Stanford Prison Experiment Were instructions given to the guards concerning what they could or could not do? If yes, what were the instructions? Yes, they were given a brief orientation. They were told they ‘- could do anything except hit the prisoners and were told to maintain order in the prison. 14 14 7  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment Describe some of the measures that were taken to set up the prison? ‘- 15 15 Stanford Prison Experiment Describe some of the measures that were taken to set up the prison? Police arrests and processing ‘- Isolation cell Prisoner and guard uniforms Prisoner ID and other dehumanizing procedures 16 16 8  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment How long did the study run for? ‘- 17 17 Stanford Prison Experiment How long did the study run for? 6 days though it was meant to run for 2 weeks ‘- 18 18 9  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment What did the researchers observe in the study? What were the group dynamics? Did one group dominate over the other? ‘- 19 19 Stanford Prison Experiment What did the researchers observe in the study? What were the group dynamics? Did one group dominate over the other? Initially, guards were unsure in their roles and were slow to ‘- band together; prisoners were more unified Took all the guards to control the prisoners before the guards changed tactics Guards employed psychological tactics and later dominated and even turned abusive 20 20 10  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment What did the author conclude from the study? ‘- 21 21 Stanford Prison Experiment What did the author conclude from the study? The power of the situation to shape individual’s behaviour Guards acted the ways they did because ‘- they conformed blindly to their assigned role And thus, they could not be blamed for their actions 22 22 11  11/8/24 Stanford Prison Experiment Limitations? ‘- 23 23 Stanford Prison Experiment Limitations? Zimbardo – dual role as a principal investigator and prison superintendent ‘- 24 24 12  11/8/24 ‘- BREAK TIME! 25 25 ‘- BBC PRISON EXPERIMENT 26 26 13  11/8/24 Alex Haslam Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology and Australian Laureate Fellow at the University of Queensland Research focuses on the study of group ‘- and identity processes in organizational, social and clinical contexts 27 27 Stephen David Reicher Bishop Wardlaw Professor School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the St Andrews University ‘- Research focuses on the study of group behaviour and individual-social relationship 28 28 14  11/8/24 About the study http://www.bbcprisonstudy.org/index.php ‘- 29 29 30 15  11/8/24 BBC Prison Study Aims of the study When do people go along with oppressive groups? When do people act as a group to challenge ‘- oppression? 31 31 BBC Prison Study How were participants recruited? Were they paid for their participation? If applicable, how many were recruited? Through a newspaper advertisement Participants went through 3 stages of ‘-screening including a battery of psychometric tests, a telephone interview and lastly for those that passed the first two hurdles a full clinical interview with independent clinical psychologists No one violent or vulnerable was selected. Only people who were well-adjusted were selected 15 men 32 32 16  11/8/24 BBC Prison Study How did the investigators select which participants would become the guards and who would be the prisoners? Divided 15 men into 5 groups of 3 who were similar on key psychological dimensions such ‘-as social dominance and authoritarianism. Randomly chose one person from each group of 3 to be a guard and the other two to be prisoners. 33 33 BBC Prison Study Were instructions given to the guards concerning what they could or could not do? If yes, what were the instructions? Guards were gathered together in a hotel and were told ‘- that it was up to to make the prison work but were told them how best it was to be done Given free rein to devise rules and administer punishments 34 34 17  11/8/24 BBC Prison Study Describe some of the measures that were taken to set up the prison? Purpose-built setting; enclosed with no window to the outside world ‘- Guards stations Cells Guards quarters Isolation cell Guards were given high status; prisoners given low status 35 35 BBC Prison Study How long did the study run for? 9 Days ‘- 36 36 18  11/8/24 BBC Prison Study What did the researchers observe in the study? What were the group dynamics? Did one group dominate over the other? Early days the guards and prisoners were uneasy in their roles ‘- Prisoners try to work hard for the promotion but once that was over, they start to band together to poke fun at the guards Guards remain disunited and this continues to undermine their authority 37 37 BBC Prison Study What did the researchers observe in the study? What were the group dynamics? Did one group dominate over the other? What we see if a continual erosion of their authority and control of the situation and collapse of‘-the guard’s regime Eventually they set up a commune and tyranny breaks out and the study ends 38 38 19  11/8/24 BBC Prison Study What did the author(s) conclude from the study? Individuals do not conform blindly or mindlessly to roles Only act in terms of a role when they ‘- internalize it as a result of social identification with the group 39 39 BBC Prison Study Limitations? The participants knew they were being filmed ‘- 40 40 20  11/8/24 Summary Stanford Prison Project BBC Prison Experiment ‘- 41 41 ‘- Thank you and see you next time! 42 42 21