The student guards in Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment behaved the way they did because:
A) the "inmates" were unruly and demanded swift and strong action.
B) they experienced the Lucifer effect, in which they were affected by social surroundings and cultural expectations.
C) they were simply following orders from a legitimate authority figure, who in this case was their professor.
D) they were malnourished.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Lucifer effect is a theory proposed by Zimbardo himself in which an individual's behavior changes due to social surroundings and cultural expectations. The student guards were influenced by the perceived power dynamic and authority given to them, leading to their abusive behavior towards the "inmates."

The Student Guards in Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment Behaved the Way