SY221 - Standford Prison Experiment PDF

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Standford Prison Experiment...

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Film Worksheet, “Quiet Rage: The Stanford Prison Experiment" Introduction to Sociology Dr. Donley

Instructions: Please watch Quiet Rage: The Stanford Prison Experiment before completing this homework assignment. Then, thoroughly answer all of the following questions. Your response to each question should be approximately 100 words per question response. Since everyone is doing their assignment based on the same film, citations are not needed for this assignment.

1. Describe two ethical issues you identified within the film in terms of the ethics of social research we discussed in chapter 3 (e.g. informed consent, voluntary participation, no harm to subjects, deception, responsibility of researcher, etc.). Explain why you consider each it to be an ethical issue regarding research on human subjects. During this film there was informed consent shared among the people in the city. It was placed in the city newspaper giving great detail about the experiment that is wanting to be conducted. The film explained that there were more than 70 voluntary participants. Out of those 70 people, only 24 were selected to be either a prisoner or guard. It was ethical to explain to the prisoners and guards how the experiment would be conducted for the twoweek period. It was as well an unethical experiment because I feel as if it wasn’t harming their physical appearance but, abusing their mental health.

2. Do you think The Stanford Prison Experiment could be done today?

a. If so, explain why it could be done today and any problems you think both the researcher—Zimbardo and the participants might experience. b. If not, explain what would need to be changed in order for the experiment to be conducted today. This experiment couldn’t be taken place because in today’s society prisoners are being treated in a similar form as in the film. The prisoners were being disrespected and taken advantage of throughout the entire experiment. In order for the experiment to have been conducted today, changes would have to be made. First, the cops coming to their homes should not be allowed for everyone to observe the person is being taken to prison for an experiment. Some people may be aware of the situation, but most are not. The volunteers could have had someone bring them to the setting or all volunteers gathered onto a bus instead of being treated as if they are really going to prison. Secondly, guards were very harassed the prisoners by taunting and assaulting them. During the film some prisoners were allowed to eat while others could only watch. The guards demanded exercises from prisoners only because they knew they had control over them. We understand that it is an experiment, but this is not really prison. Overall, I do not believe this was a good experiment for the people that were prisoners. Guards may have had a great experience because they were able to see what it feels like to have authority over others.

3. What was the purpose of the Stanford Prison Experiment? What were some of the main findings of the experiment? What does it tell us about human behavior? The purpose of this experiment was to analyze how people would play their role of being a guard or prisoners. The main findings I analyzed were that some prisoners suffered from emotional stress while others obeyed every command given. This experiment showed us that all

humans have different behaviors such as obedient, disobedient, loyalty, and disloyalty towards one another. Some prisoners obeyed every single command given by the guards while others didn’t follow any directions. Some prisoners had taken the option to be treated like “royalty” while others in the prison cell were treated like the bottom of a shoe....