In 1971, Philip Zimbardo conducted an experiment which tested the behaviors of both prisoners and guards in a simulated prison created by him and his colleagues at Stanford University. In the article written by Dr. Zimbardo, Pathology of Imprisonment, he discusses the process of the experiment and his findings.
To begin, Dr. Zimbardo gathered a group of 24 male student volunteers. All of the students that participated in the study received compensation of $15 per day. Each student was evaluated emotionally and mentally to determine their stability, and if they were able to participate. Their background and intelligence was questioned as well, finding that every student had no criminal history, and were intelligent students, “from middle class …show more content…
Zimbardo 's prison experiment caused the question regarding how prisoners were being treated to rise. His research helped explain the social movement and phenomenon of imprisonment. The experiment developed information about how easily behaviors change when put into the right circumstances, in this case, prison. The mock prison experiment created by Dr. Zimbardo helped explain the 2003 case of Abu Ghraib, a prison in Iraq where detainees were being severely mistreated by the soldiers on guard. Zimbardo claimed that the guards were only acting based on the situation at hand, and that "majority of people can be made to do almost anything when put into psychologically compelling situations-". In Abu Ghraib, the American soldiers were ordered to detain and imprison Iraqis. Based on information provided from Zimbardo 's research, it is determined that the soldiers tortured and abused the prisoners because of the environment they were in, as it was believed that authorization for such brutal treatment came from high ranked military officials, even from the Secretary of Defense of the United States. The evidence found from Dr. Zimbardo 's experiment supports the idea that if placed in a certain environment that permits a certain kind of behavior, a person will do what is expected of them, and take on the role that is given to …show more content…
Zimbardo, the events that took place during his simulated prison at Stanford University are addressed. He uses his findings to support claims that despite whatever role a person may be, each individual should be treated humanely. When a person abuses the power given to them, it is then that behaviors change to adapt to the environment at hand. Dr. Zimbardo 's findings are historically important as they support future instances of brutal treatment in the case of Abu Ghraib in 2003. Zimbardo was used a witness during the trials, stating that the soldiers treated detainees brutally because that was the environment that they were placed in. Evidence from his research is important throughout history as it shows just how easy it is for someone to take advantage of power and abuse their role in society, or a more specific setting. Although a prisoner may have committed a crime, or committed an unthinkable act, they are still human and deserve to be treated as so. Dr. Zimbardo 's research stresses this factor, and shows that behavior can easily be manipulated when provided the right
To begin, Dr. Zimbardo gathered a group of 24 male student volunteers. All of the students that participated in the study received compensation of $15 per day. Each student was evaluated emotionally and mentally to determine their stability, and if they were able to participate. Their background and intelligence was questioned as well, finding that every student had no criminal history, and were intelligent students, “from middle class …show more content…
Zimbardo 's prison experiment caused the question regarding how prisoners were being treated to rise. His research helped explain the social movement and phenomenon of imprisonment. The experiment developed information about how easily behaviors change when put into the right circumstances, in this case, prison. The mock prison experiment created by Dr. Zimbardo helped explain the 2003 case of Abu Ghraib, a prison in Iraq where detainees were being severely mistreated by the soldiers on guard. Zimbardo claimed that the guards were only acting based on the situation at hand, and that "majority of people can be made to do almost anything when put into psychologically compelling situations-". In Abu Ghraib, the American soldiers were ordered to detain and imprison Iraqis. Based on information provided from Zimbardo 's research, it is determined that the soldiers tortured and abused the prisoners because of the environment they were in, as it was believed that authorization for such brutal treatment came from high ranked military officials, even from the Secretary of Defense of the United States. The evidence found from Dr. Zimbardo 's experiment supports the idea that if placed in a certain environment that permits a certain kind of behavior, a person will do what is expected of them, and take on the role that is given to …show more content…
Zimbardo, the events that took place during his simulated prison at Stanford University are addressed. He uses his findings to support claims that despite whatever role a person may be, each individual should be treated humanely. When a person abuses the power given to them, it is then that behaviors change to adapt to the environment at hand. Dr. Zimbardo 's findings are historically important as they support future instances of brutal treatment in the case of Abu Ghraib in 2003. Zimbardo was used a witness during the trials, stating that the soldiers treated detainees brutally because that was the environment that they were placed in. Evidence from his research is important throughout history as it shows just how easy it is for someone to take advantage of power and abuse their role in society, or a more specific setting. Although a prisoner may have committed a crime, or committed an unthinkable act, they are still human and deserve to be treated as so. Dr. Zimbardo 's research stresses this factor, and shows that behavior can easily be manipulated when provided the right