Philip Zimbardo's prison experiment involved setting up a make-believe jail and randomly assigning male student volunteers to the roles of guards and prisoners. The researcher concluded that:
A) existing personal relationships interfered with students' ability to assume their assigned roles
B) behavior in prisons reflects individual personality characteristics of guards and prisoners
C) behavior in prisons is strongly influenced by the nature of the prison setting
D) students who were assigned to be guards developed leadership skills

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Zimbardo's experiment demonstrated that the behavior of the participants was largely influenced by the nature of the prison setting, rather than individual personality characteristics. The guards quickly became abusive towards the prisoners, demonstrating the power of situational factors in shaping human behavior. The study has been criticized for its ethical issues, but it remains a landmark in understanding the power of social roles and institutions.

Philip Zimbardo's Prison Experiment Involved Setting Up a Make-Believe Jail