In Zimbardo's prison study, young, psychologically normal men were randomly assigned to the role of playing a guard or a prisoner. After six days, the "prisoners" became servile, dehumanized robots, while "guards" became despicable and cruel. In general, the results of this study probably indicate that:

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The results of the study indicate that the situation, in this case, the roles assigned to the participants, had a strong influence on their behavior, rather than their personalities. This supports the idea that behavior is often shaped by external factors, such as social norms and expectations, rather than solely by individual characteristics. The study does not necessarily suggest that humans are inherently callous or that prisoners are inherently antisocial. While some guards may choose their profession for reasons of power and brutality, this is not necessarily true of all guards.

In Zimbardo's Prison Study, Young, Psychologically Normal Men Were Randomly