Opinion on the Stanford prison experiment

[Apoi_Viitor]

How valid is it?

[PhoenixAsh]

Well...it shows that perfectly stable people can turn sadistical egotistical bastards when they can get away with it and are presured by a group....

And it also shows that the very same stable people can become apathetic and submissive when they are forced into a helpless position.

It is also concluded that people have difficulty with opposing influences by others.


There is however valid criticism on the scientific nature of the experiment.

Zimbardo did partake in the experiments and played an active role in directing it. There was also criticism of overstepping the boundraries of ethical conduct and creating dangerous and damaging situations. The role aspect was criticised because participants may have acted on expected behaviour and modelling their behaviour to these expectations...which in effect urged further negative adjustement in their behaviour. It is also argued that the described behaviour in both guards and prisoners showed a wide variety in intensity and that the conditions which were set were too arbitrary.

Now...all of these criticism are pretty standard for the experiment...andthey affect the experiment itself.

However it is important to understand that though the criticism is very valid it does not invalidate the conclusions of the study. Which is that people can degenerate very quickly.

But it does make it impossible to reproduce the study and falsify the conclusions.


So the experiment was relevant. Especially for setting standards for these kind of experiments. The practical implication is that we can mold people when we create the right conditions. In detail the conclusions may have been wrong...as other experiments have shown. Though other experiments again have shown similar behaviour occuring.

I'd say some of it is pretty valid....other parts need more research.