Part A: Go to the following website www.prisonexp.org. Go through the website thoroughly and study the experiment described therein. When you are finished, go to the tab (on the website) labeled “Discussion Questions” and answer questions 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12 and 14 as completely as possible. Your responses should total between 1-2 original, non-plagiarized pages, with Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced.
Question # 3: What prevented “good guards” from objecting or countermanding the orders from tough or bad guards?
Question #4: If you were a prisoner, would you have been able to endure the experience? What would you have done differently than those subjects did? If you were imprisoned in a “real” prison for five years or more, could you take it?
Question #6: What factors would lead prisoners to attribute guard brutality to the guards’ disposition or character, rather than to the situation?
Question #8: What is identity? Is there a core to your self-identity independent of how others define you? How difficult would it be to remake any given person into someone with a new identity?
Question #9: Do you think that kids from an urban working-class environment would have broken down emotionally in the same way as did our middle-class prisoners? Why? What about women?
Question #12: Was it ethical to do this study? Was it right to trade the suffering experienced by participants for the knowledge gained by the research? (The experimenters did not take this issue lightly, although the Slide Show may sound somewhat matter-of-fact about the events and experiences that occurred).
Question #14: If you were the experimenter in charge, would you have done this study? Would you have terminated it earlier? Would you have conducted a follow-up study?
Part B: Would you follow orders of an authority figure? Watch the following clip and discuss the influence of obedience on our behavior. What factors in this video could have increased the likelihood that the victim and the others involved followed orders? What factors could have reduced the likelihood that all persons involved complied with the “authority figure?”
(74) Obedience – Fast Food Strip Search – YouTube . Stanford Prison Experiment Reflection Q+A
Part A:
Question #3: In the Stanford Prison Experiment, the “good guards” were prevented from objecting or countermanding the orders from the “tough or bad guards” due to various factors. Firstly, the guards were selected randomly, and they were not given any prior training on how to perform their roles. Hence, they lacked guidance on how to manage their behavior and responses towards the prisoners. Secondly, the experiment’s situation created a power dynamic that made the guards feel empowered, leading them to abuse their authority. Thirdly, the guards were influenced by the group mentality, where they felt the need to conform to the group’s behavior to avoid being excluded or criticized by their peers. Finally, the guards were given the responsibility to maintain order and control in the prison, and they felt that any objection to the tough guard’s orders would lead to chaos and disobedience among the prisoners.
Question #4: If I were a prisoner in the Stanford Prison Experiment, I would have found it challenging to endure the experience. The psychological pressure and abuse that the prisoners faced would have been unbearable for me. However, I would have tried to cope by maintaining my self-respect and dignity, seeking support from my fellow prisoners, and finding ways to resist the guards’ authority without breaking any rules. If I were imprisoned in a real prison for five years or more, I do not think I could take it. The prolonged isolation, confinement, and lack of freedom would affect my mental health and well-being.
Question #6: Several factors would lead prisoners to attribute guard brutality to the guards’ disposition or character, rather than the situation. Firstly, the guards had complete control and authority over the prisoners, leading them to abuse their power and inflict harm. Secondly, the prisoners were in a state of vulnerability and helplessness, making them susceptible to mistreatment and abuse. Thirdly, the prisoners lacked social support and were isolated from the outside world, making them more likely to internalize their experiences and attribute them to personal factors.
Question #8: Identity refers to the set of characteristics and traits that define an individual and distinguish them from others. It includes one’s personality, values, beliefs, culture, and social roles. There is a core to self-identity that is independent of how others define us. However, our identity is also shaped by our interactions and relationships with others. It would be challenging to remake any given person into someone with a new identity, as it would require changing their core values, beliefs, and personality traits, which are deeply ingrained and resistant to change.
Question #9: The breakdown of emotional stability among the middle-class prisoners in the Stanford Prison Experiment was due to the situational factors, such as the power dynamic and the psychological pressure, rather than their socioeconomic background. Kids from an urban working-class environment may have broken down emotionally in the same way as middle-class prisoners if exposed to the same situational factors. Women may have experienced different forms of abuse and oppression due to their gender, which could have affected their emotional stability and resilience.
Question #12: The ethical implications of the Stanford Prison Experiment are complex and controversial. While the experiment provided valuable insights into the effects of power dynamics and situational factors on human behavior, it also caused significant psychological harm to the participants. The experiment’s ethical concerns include the lack of informed consent, the use of deception, and the potential for harm to the participants’ physical and emotional well-being. It is debatable whether the knowledge gained from the experiment justifies the suffering experienced by the participants.
Question #14: If I were the experimenter in charge of the Stanford Prison Experiment, I would not have conducted the study. The potential harm to the participants outweighs the benefits of the knowledge gained. Moreover, the ethical implications of the experiment are too
