Stanford Prison Experiment

Introduction The unsettling aspect of the experiment was that it seemed to prove the pervasive behaviour of the prison guards and prisoners was due to an aspect of human psychology, deeply embedded in the human nature, rather than an acquired ill reasoning. However, there are arguments as to whether the experiment used the right procedure and parameters to obtain objective results.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Stanford Prison Experiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The guidelines violated The study violated the ethical guidelines of any experiment involving human beings since it did not have any ethical acceptability. The set APA standards require that any experiment, including those investigating psychological issues, be free of any kind of torture. If the guards had stuck to the recommended course of action when handling the prisoners, the experiment could have resulted in outcomes that were mor e objective. The researchers disregarded the subjects’ welfare, which is against the APA guideline requirements. Moreover, the experiment planners failed to consider the gravity of the events if the anticipated risks turned into a reality. The APA guidelines require the experimenter to structure the experiment in such a way that the risk is not too detrimental to the physical and emotional wellbeing. The leader of the team, doctor Zimbardo, was also the person who conducted the analysis of the course and the results of the experiment. According to the accepted standards in modern research, the leader of the team flawed the experiment by acting as an observer while disturbing the process. This violated another guideline, which advocates for minimum disturbance. Zimbardo’s personal opinion and feelings exposed the experiment to distortion. The experiment’s validity was questionable since before the commencement of the process all actions in the prison were anticip ated. The guards had premeditated inflicting torture and curtailing the subjects’ freedom contrary to the APA guidelines on experimentation (Blass 235). There were no admissible criteria of equating the experimental prison’s conditions to those of a real prison. The experimental conditions could have been far much worse than the real conditions of an average prison. Furthermore, some conditions in real prison are necessary while experimental conditions were deliberate efforts to inflict mental stress. The researchers altering the Study Although there was no way to modify the experiment to reflect a real prison in totality, the team could have adopted measures that ensured the experiment stayed within the admissible criteria of practical experimentation.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The experiment would have obtained better results if the prisoners and the gu ards were subjected to the procedure without being guided on how to react to various situations. The decision to instil mental strain on the prisoners distorted the experiment. On the contrary, gradual, automatic, and natural mental strain on the guards and the prisoners was a more appropriate approach. Another measure that could have been useful to the experiment was the random selection of the prisoners with the freedom to request release. In a real prison, the prison community is composed of individuals with random backgrounds. In this essence, the experimental team should have been composed of a random collection of individuals picked in a non-discriminatory way. An independent observer would have been useful in ensuring that the participants in the experiment did not have any interest in the experiment’s outcome. This would facilitate the most accurate natural response of the experiment’s subjects to the conditions in their undisturbed environment. Furthermore, th e participants in such an experiment must have only limited information regarding the issue in question. This ensures that the subjects are not subconsciously aware of the aim of the experiment while deciding on each of their moves (Huggins et al 263). Cognitive dissonance Cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon where individual are attracted to do things that require more effort or responsibility rather than take on the easier options. This trend is evident in the Stanford experiment among the prisoners and the gaurds. The guards strive to ensure that the prisoners suffered for no particular reason. Moreover, the prisoners had no cause to rebel if the guards maintained a professional stance in the experiment. However, the guards opted to oppress the prisoners and later deal with the ensuing crisis. This evidence of cognitive dissonance in the prison community seems to confirm in a limited manner, the existence of a substantial negative psychological part in the comprehensive human nat ure (Festinger 32). The prisoners had clear characteristics of cognitive dissonance. They chose to flout the prison’s regulations and then later endure the repercussions although there were no clear benefits of their actions. In addition, the prisoners chose a more difficult relationship with the prison authorities with the intention of creating a conflict. These actions implied that the trait is a natural tendency of the human being to choose to confront the more challenging situations rather than the easier procedures (Cooper 42).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Stanford Prison Experiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion The study produced substantial evidence to prove the existence of cognitive dissonance in human beings. Although the experiment’s procedure breached major guidelines on experimentation, the results contain details that objectively point to the natural tendency of the human beings to take on more challenging options. Works Cited Blass, Thomas. Obedience to authority current perspectives on the Milgram paradigm. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000. Print. Cooper, Joel. Cognitive dissonance: fifty years of a classic theory. Los Angeles [u.a.: SAGE Publ., 2007. Print. Festinger, Leon. A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 19621957. Print. Huggins, Martha Knisely, Mika Fatouros, and Philip G. Zimbardo. Violence workers: police torturers and murderers reconstruct Brazilian atrocities. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002. Print. This research paper on Stanford Prison Experiment was written and submitted by user Porter G. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Stanford prison experiment Table of Contents Introduction The Stanford Prison Experiment Nature of the experiment Results of the Experiment Application of the Findings Conclusion References Introduction Different psychological set ups can induce a variety of impacts on individuals subjected to such set ups. The prison set up is thus expected to have similar impacts on its inhabitants. Establishment of such impacts of the prisons set upon prisoners or prison guards was the basis of Stanford prison experiment that was carried out by Philip Zimbardo. This paper seeks to discus the experiment. The paper will look into the results of the study and apply such findings to the real life events that are experienced today.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stanford prison experiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Stanford Prison Experiment The experiment was meant to investigate the response that people develop when they are exposed to diffe rent environments from their original environmental set ups. Taking volunteers and posing them as prisoners was the test that was to reveal the acquired responses of such individuals. Nature of the experiment The individuals who were to assume the role of prison guards were not subjected to any form of formal training but were only offered a range of actions that they could take with respect to the experiment. The prisoners were on the other hand given shocking arrests that was followed by blind folding before they were driven to the experimental location. They were then subjected to humiliating experience that involved being stripped off their clothes, chained and subjected to an assimilated real prison setups. Results of the Experiment One of the results that were realized from the experiment was the level of rebellion that the prisoners developed after some time within the prison set up. The guards then called for reinforcement and resorted to forcefully counter the rebellion of their prisoners. Measures like confinement of rebellion leaders and intimidation of individual prisoners were then adopted by the guards. An adopted psychological treatment of the prisoners that involved interchange of privilege treatment was then proposed by one of the guards and adopted on the prisoners. This resulted in distrust among the prisoners and eventually weakened the organization of another rebellion. A level of psychological complications that included â€Å"acute emotional disturbance, disorganized thinking, uncontrollable crying and rage† (Zimbardo, n.d., p. 1) were however developed by the prisoners with difference in degrees leading to the release of one prisoner within two days. There was also a development of a planned escape by the prisoners (Zimbardo, n.d.). Review of the result of the experiment also revealed some developed characteristics. It was, for instance, realized that induced situations cause significant inconsistent reactions on individuals. Rol e acting was also realized to create some sense of actual individual reactions when circumstances are pushed to the extremes.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It was also realized that changing an individual’s set up can also induce changes in individual’s behavior. Good people will for instance adopt bad characters if put in evil conditions (Zimbardo, Maslash Haney, n.d.). Application of the Findings People generally react to any form of change that they are exposed to. One of the identified responses to changes in environmental set ups include attempts to withdraw from such changes. Such was the identified attempt by prisoners to escape from the set up (Leadership, 2004). Reactions of disorientation and emotional set ups are also common reactions together with anger (Resources, 2003). Conclusion The result of the experiment reveals that any induced change in envi ronment induces psychological changes in people and consequently people find or develop ways to counter that. References Leadership. (2004). Pennsylvania child welfare training program. Web. Resources. (2003). Normal emotional reactions to change and transition. Web. Zimbardo, P. The Stanford prison experiment. Web. Zimbardo, P., Maslash, C Haney, C. Revelations on the Stanford prisons experiment. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stanford prison experiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on Stanford prison experiment was written and submitted by user Senator Kelly to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.