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Essay / Stanford Prison Study - 560
I have chosen to review the Stanford Prison Study. This experiment was conducted by a famous psychologist named Philip Zimbardo. This study aimed to test whether and how quickly individuals would conform to their assigned social roles. The experiment took place on the ground floor of Stanford University's psychology building, which had been transformed into a simulated prison. In order to achieve the appearance of a real prison, the cells had bare walls, limited space, and bare doors and windows. He then selected 21 men from 75 volunteers and appointed them prisoners or guards. The study began with the unexpected arrest of the prisoners in their respective homes. They were then taken to a simulated prison and treated as if they would be in a real prison. This involved taking prisoners' fingerprints, removing their clothing and personal belongings, and providing them with a uniform. The detainees were then only referred to by the numbers appearing on their uniform. Guards and inmates began to confirm their roles very quickly. Although no physical violence was authorized, guards harassed the inmate...