The Cognitive Theory Of The Stanford Prison Experiment

On August 14, 1971 Philip Zimbardo conducted an experiment called the Stanford Prison Experiment took off. Young men were offered $15 a day to take part in a mock prison experiment in the basement of the Stanford University Psychology Department. The men were divided into either prison guards or prisoners, this experiment was only to last two weeks. Upon the prisoners arrival at the make shifted prison they were stripped off their clothes and sprayed with disinfecting spray. Each prisoner was issued a dress as a uniform with their prison identification number on the back and front. Putting the men in dress made them feel feminized, they had no protection under the dress. The identity numbers were used as a way to make the prisoners feel unimportant. Every prisoner’s right ankle was chained to create an effect of not having any freedoms. They were also forced to wear woman’s nylon stocking as covering for their hair instead of having their hair shaved off, each item was to be worn at all times. These stockings were worn to take away a person’s individuality, to make everyone equal. There was no training to be a prison guards, they were allowed to do whatever was necessary to …show more content…
The Cognitive Theory is the examination of one’s thought process. The thought process incorporates how someone views the world. Human behavior was seen though positive and negative directions in this experiment. Factors that may have contributed to these actions may be found in personality traits, genetics and personal morals. For example, #2093 obeyed rules except when it came to profanity he refused to participant due to morals. The study found that bringing good people into a bad environment can change their behavior to fit their surroundings. Most importantly The Stanford Prison Experiment has demonstrated how good people can become evil, rebellious, and corrupt within only a matter of