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AnIntroductiontoSocialPsychologyDrZimbardoNarrator(Vo):In1971ProfessorPhilipZimbardoandhiscolleaguesconductedanexperimentatStanfordUniversity,designedtolookathowordinarymenmightbebehaveifgiventheroleofguardsandprisoners.Theirresearchwasgroundbreakingatthetime,butitalsoraisedanenormousnumberofquestionsforsocialpsychology.Thesubjectmatter,outcomesandmethodsareallofcontinuinginteresttocontemporaryresearchers.DrCarolineKelly:ZimbardocarriedouthisstudyintheaftermathofWorldWarTwo,andtherewasalotofinterestandconcernatthattimeaboutthoseeventsandhowthattheeventsoftheSecondWorldWarcouldhavehappened.Alsoatthattimethen,theaftermathofVietnam,andagain,alotofinterestintheatrocitiesthattookplaceinthateventandthemurderofmanyciviliansbysoldiersinthatwar.Sotherewasalotofinterestamongstpsychologistsin,inhowthethingcouldhavehappenedandhowordinarypeoplecouldhavegotdrawnintothoseevents.DrBiancaRaabe:Hewasveryconcernedwiththeimpactofsocialrolesandwhattheyhadonthewayinwhichhumansbehave.AndIthinkhewasveryconcernedwithtryingtounderstandtheimpactofthesocialcontext.SoIthinkintermsofhiswork,hewasverymuchconcernedwithgearinghisresearcharoundwhathappenstopeoplewhentheytakeupparticularsocialrolesandwhentheybecomepartofparticularsocialgroups.CarolineKelly:Atthebeginningofthisstudytheprisonerswerearrestedattheirhomesbyrealpoliceofficersandweretakenofftothelocalpolicestation.Nowthiswasnotsomethingwhichtheyhadsignedupforandtheyweresurprised,understandably,bythisevent,andtheyaskedthepoliceofficerswhatwastherelationshipbetweenthiseventandtheirsigningupforapsychologystudy.Andthepoliceofficersrefusedtobedrawnintothisconversation.Sothiswasaveryunsettlingwayofstartingthestudy.ZimbardobroughtthemtoamockupofaprisonwhichhecreatedinthebasementofthepsychologydepartmentatStanfordUniversity.Whathedidthenwastodividehisgroupintoprisonersandintoguards.Theguardshadaguard’suniformandtheyhadsunglassesandtheyhadastick,andtheprisonersworeloosefittingsmocksandsandals.Nowtheprisonersspent24hoursadayinthismockprison,andtheguardscameandwentdoingshifts.DrBiancaRaabe:Partofwhathewasdoingwasobservingwhatwasgoingtotakeplaceinthisparticularcontextandhowthoserolesaseitherprisonerorguard,howtheyshapedorsortofchangedthewaypeoplebehaved.Prof.Zimbardo:Theguardsnowfellintotheirjob,someofthemlikedit,someofthemdislikedit,butitwasajobthattheydid.Theygavecommandsandnowwhathappenedistheprisonersfollowedthem.Guard:Youcangivemetheblanketsandsleeponthebaremattress,oryoucankeepyourblanketsand416willstayinanotherday.DrBiancaRaabe:Theyfoundwaystopunishprisonersiftheymisbehaved…Guard:Let’sseeifwecancountbackwardshere…Guard:Let’strythatout.Guard:Let’sseewhatgoeson.Prisoners:9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1Guard:Ohthat’sbad!Guard:Hey,Idon’twantanybodylaughing.Carolinekelly:Itwascertainlythecasethatinitiallytheprisonersdidshowsomesignsofdisbeliefandrebellionaboutwhatwashappening.Prisoner:Thisisunbelievable!Youtookourclothes…Guard:Handsoffthedoor.Carolinekelly:Butafterafairlyshortwhiletheyfellintotheirroles,theybecameverysubmissiveanddependant,verypowerless,andobviouslyshowedsignsofstressandanxietyanddepression.Prof.Zimbardo:Thingshadgottensobadthatwenolongerhadagroupofprisoners.Whatwehadwereindividualsbelievingtheywereprisoners,strugglingforindividualsurvival,nolongercaringabouttheirotherprisonersortheirotherfellowstudents.Carolinekelly:Meanwhiletheguardsgotintotheirrolesandthelevelofviolenceescalatedoveraperiodofdays.Theybegantohumiliateanddegradetheprisonersandfindeveryopportunitytoexerttheirpowerandinfluenceovertheprisoners.Profzimbardo:Someofthemhadprisonerscleanouttoiletbowlswiththeirbarehands.Theynowtaunt,humiliate,degradetheprisonersinfrontofeachother,andtheyexertarbitrarycontrolovertheprisoners.Carolinekelly:Thisescalationofaggressionwassoextremethatafteraperiodofsixdaystheexperimenthadtobebroughttoahaltbeforethescheduledtime.Drbiancaraabe:Ithinkheshowedsomethingthatwasimportantatthetime,that,andIthinkitisaboutthatnotionthatyouknow,becauseit’snotaboutwhoyouareinternallythatmatters,it’saboutthesocialcontextinwhichyoufindyourself.Carolinekelly:Zimbardowaswantingtomoveawayfromtheideathatwecanexplainextremebehaviourbyreferencetoindividualpersonalitycharacteristics,andwantingtomoveinsteadtowardsanexplanationwhichfocusedonsocialstructuralfactorsasanexplanationforbehaviour.Drbiancaraabe:It’saboutthegroupstowhichyoubelongandhowyoutakeonthosegroupidentities,andtheninasensebecomethem.Um,andIthinkthat’swhatheshowedandIthinkthatwassucha,aradicalwayoflookingatthingsatthatparticulartime.Carolinekelly:Zimbardo’sstudyhadaveryimportantimpactonmethodologicaldebateandparticularlyethicaldebateinsocialpsychologyatthetime.Thisstudyreallypushedattheboundariesofwhatpeoplefeltwasacceptableforsocialpsychologiststodowiththeirparticipants.Andindeed,somepeoplefeltthathehadgonewaybeyondwhatwasacceptabletodoinsocialpsychologyexperiments.Therewasthereforeconsiderabledebatefollowingthisstudyandafewotherveryfamousstudies,abouttheethicsofexperimentationinsocialpsychologyandamuchtighterscrutinyfollowingthisofthesortsofstudieswhichpeopl