Review of The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015) by Jessica T — 25 Dec 2015
"The Stanford Prison Experiment" is a dramatic reenactment of Dr. Philip Zimbardo's infamous study, but the results are no less disturbing.
In 1971, 24 college students were recruited to participate in a simulated prison experiment, randomly assigned to be either a guard or prisoner. Zimbardo wanted to examine how institutions strip individuals of their identity. Yet, none of the researchers predicted that the participants would inhabit their roles so quickly and realistically - within a few days, guards became abusive and sadistic, while prisoners turned fearful and submissive. Perhaps even more unsettling was how Zimbardo and his colleagues became entrenched in their own process, and allowed significant harm to take place before terminating the experiment early.
Today, Zimbardo's experiment would never pass an ethics committee, but his findings remain vital and relevant. There is a darkness and brutality that lies beneath the surface of every person, just as much as there is the capacity for empathy and good. Understanding that it is institutions and situations that create the environment for these traits to emerge will hopefully allow people to make more informed behaviour choices.
This review of The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015) was written by Jessica T on 25 Dec 2015.
The Stanford Prison Experiment has generally received positive reviews.
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