Discuss research into conformity to
social roles. [16 marks]
Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment
(1973) was a massively significant study
which investigated conformity to social roles
of guards and prisoners in American prisons
and whether aggression was increased
through the process in which an individual’s
identity becomes overwritten through
uniform power and identification to their
assigned role.
24 psychologically approved males were
chosen, and paid 15 dollars per day to
participate in the experiment. Through
randomisation (flipping a coin), the
participants were then assigned to take on
either the role of a prisoner or a guard in a
‘mock’ prison. After the prisoners were
‘arrested’ they were taken to the prison, had
their personal possessions removed, were
dressed in prison clothes with a chain
attached to their right ankle, and were given
an ID number each. Guards were given the
instructions of keeping the prisoners under
control without the use of violence and refer
to the prisoners by their numbers only as
well as identical uniforms including clubs
social roles. [16 marks]
Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment
(1973) was a massively significant study
which investigated conformity to social roles
of guards and prisoners in American prisons
and whether aggression was increased
through the process in which an individual’s
identity becomes overwritten through
uniform power and identification to their
assigned role.
24 psychologically approved males were
chosen, and paid 15 dollars per day to
participate in the experiment. Through
randomisation (flipping a coin), the
participants were then assigned to take on
either the role of a prisoner or a guard in a
‘mock’ prison. After the prisoners were
‘arrested’ they were taken to the prison, had
their personal possessions removed, were
dressed in prison clothes with a chain
attached to their right ankle, and were given
an ID number each. Guards were given the
instructions of keeping the prisoners under
control without the use of violence and refer
to the prisoners by their numbers only as
well as identical uniforms including clubs
