Haney, Banks and Zimbardo (1973)
Procedure:
Sample: 75 people responded to an advertisement in a newspaper (volunteer sampling) Aims:
● 24 male participants were selected as ‘normal, healthy males’ following assessments and interviews To investigate prisoner-guard conflict in a simulated prison environment
● Participants were paid $15 each day of the study Haney, Banks and Zimbardo wanted to create a simulated prison to see what behaviour resulted when
● 22 participants took part in the study, 1 dropped out, and 2 were kept on standby incase a participant dropped ‘normal-average’ people were assigned the roles of ‘guards’ and ‘prisoners’
out before the study began They specifically wanted to look at any changes in emotions, mood, interactions, coping skills and attitudes
They were told they would randomly be assigned the roles of prisoner and guard towards oneself and others
They were made aware that they would be under constant surveillance through observations, video and audio recordings
Participants were advised that they would receive suitable necessities, such as food, medical care and clothing, and that
they would lose their basic civil rights, especially freedom if given a prisoner role Results:
Guards would be able to leave after their ‘shift’ to go home and lead their usual lifestyle Group interactions tended to be hostile, in negative and dehumanising encounters
‘Guard’ participants attended an orientation meeting the day before the experiment begun: Guards verbally gave orders that were impersonal to prisoners and sometimes aggressive (not physically
● They met the researcher, (the superintendent), and the research assistant, (the warden) aggressive)
● The ‘guards’ were given a task to ‘maintain the functioning’ of the prison, but that was not elaborated upon Guards were more active in initiating interactions, while prisoners became passive to interactions
● They believed the purpose of the study was to observe prisoner behaviour The rules were modified or ignored by guards, guards often forgot about privileges such as movies
● The warden explained guard duties, such as shift patterns, shift reports and the administration of food, free Some guards remained on duty voluntarily after their shift had ended, receiving no pay for their time
time and work activities In private, interactions between prisoners were dominated by a focus on their current situation; guard
● The only direct instruction was that physical punishments were forbidden on prisoners harassment, punishments and other aspects of prison life
● The guards helped finalise the simulated prison, e.g. moving furniture, arranging the beds in the cells and ● They rarely discussed life outside of prison
putting up signs The interactions between guards were also dominated by prison life, discussing things like ‘problem
The guards and prisoners were given uniforms: guards (military style), prisoners (plain smock with ID number, a chain on prisoners’
one ankle and no undergarments) Guard aggression increased and intensified on a daily basis, despite prisoner submission and emotional
Prisoners were arrested at their home, charged, searched, handcuffed and taken to station breakdown, and was more serious when they were with prisoners away from surveillance
In the police station, they went through the process of arrest, e.g. being fingerprinted and detained Five prisoners had to be released early due to extreme emotional reactions, e.g. crying, extreme depression,
Then they blindfolded and driven to the simulated prison, which was in the basement of Stanford University anxiety or rage
At the prison, participants were stripped, sprayed with a delousing spray and made to stand alone and naked in the yard ● For four of these prisoners, the symptoms began as early as day two and they were released
before being given their uniform to wear, then they were taken to their cell ● The fifth prisoner required treatment for a psychosomatic rash covering his body before he was
The ‘prisoners’ were given a prisoner identification number which they were referred to for the duration of the study, and released
they were encouraged to memorise them Other prisoners requested a lawyer to get them out of the prison
The guards read the rules to prisoners which included: After four days, prisoners attended a ‘parole’ meeting where three out of five said they would give up their
● Three supervised toilet visits a day money (the incentive to take part) if it would get them out of the prison
● Two visits per week Individual differences were evident, as half the prisoners accepted the oppressive rule of the guards and not
● Scheduled exercise and movie times all the guards became hostile, some were fair, others became very cruel and some were quite passive and
● Lining up to be counted three times a day did not exercise power over the prisoners
● Testing on their knowledge of the rules and their ID number Prisoners perceived the guards to be ‘bigger’ than they were, despite the random allocation and no real
● Three meals a day physical differences in average height, or weight between the groups
● Work assignments and payment for these ($15)
Prisoners and guards could engage in any form of interaction, friendly or unfriendly, supportive or unsupportive, that they
elected to do
No direction was given to either group about how they should or should not interact with each other
Self-evaluations using questionnaires and tests were completed by prisoners and guards over the duration of the study in
order to assess the individual’s moods and personality
The experiment was terminated on day six (eight days earlier than scheduled)
Procedure:
Sample: 75 people responded to an advertisement in a newspaper (volunteer sampling) Aims:
● 24 male participants were selected as ‘normal, healthy males’ following assessments and interviews To investigate prisoner-guard conflict in a simulated prison environment
● Participants were paid $15 each day of the study Haney, Banks and Zimbardo wanted to create a simulated prison to see what behaviour resulted when
● 22 participants took part in the study, 1 dropped out, and 2 were kept on standby incase a participant dropped ‘normal-average’ people were assigned the roles of ‘guards’ and ‘prisoners’
out before the study began They specifically wanted to look at any changes in emotions, mood, interactions, coping skills and attitudes
They were told they would randomly be assigned the roles of prisoner and guard towards oneself and others
They were made aware that they would be under constant surveillance through observations, video and audio recordings
Participants were advised that they would receive suitable necessities, such as food, medical care and clothing, and that
they would lose their basic civil rights, especially freedom if given a prisoner role Results:
Guards would be able to leave after their ‘shift’ to go home and lead their usual lifestyle Group interactions tended to be hostile, in negative and dehumanising encounters
‘Guard’ participants attended an orientation meeting the day before the experiment begun: Guards verbally gave orders that were impersonal to prisoners and sometimes aggressive (not physically
● They met the researcher, (the superintendent), and the research assistant, (the warden) aggressive)
● The ‘guards’ were given a task to ‘maintain the functioning’ of the prison, but that was not elaborated upon Guards were more active in initiating interactions, while prisoners became passive to interactions
● They believed the purpose of the study was to observe prisoner behaviour The rules were modified or ignored by guards, guards often forgot about privileges such as movies
● The warden explained guard duties, such as shift patterns, shift reports and the administration of food, free Some guards remained on duty voluntarily after their shift had ended, receiving no pay for their time
time and work activities In private, interactions between prisoners were dominated by a focus on their current situation; guard
● The only direct instruction was that physical punishments were forbidden on prisoners harassment, punishments and other aspects of prison life
● The guards helped finalise the simulated prison, e.g. moving furniture, arranging the beds in the cells and ● They rarely discussed life outside of prison
putting up signs The interactions between guards were also dominated by prison life, discussing things like ‘problem
The guards and prisoners were given uniforms: guards (military style), prisoners (plain smock with ID number, a chain on prisoners’
one ankle and no undergarments) Guard aggression increased and intensified on a daily basis, despite prisoner submission and emotional
Prisoners were arrested at their home, charged, searched, handcuffed and taken to station breakdown, and was more serious when they were with prisoners away from surveillance
In the police station, they went through the process of arrest, e.g. being fingerprinted and detained Five prisoners had to be released early due to extreme emotional reactions, e.g. crying, extreme depression,
Then they blindfolded and driven to the simulated prison, which was in the basement of Stanford University anxiety or rage
At the prison, participants were stripped, sprayed with a delousing spray and made to stand alone and naked in the yard ● For four of these prisoners, the symptoms began as early as day two and they were released
before being given their uniform to wear, then they were taken to their cell ● The fifth prisoner required treatment for a psychosomatic rash covering his body before he was
The ‘prisoners’ were given a prisoner identification number which they were referred to for the duration of the study, and released
they were encouraged to memorise them Other prisoners requested a lawyer to get them out of the prison
The guards read the rules to prisoners which included: After four days, prisoners attended a ‘parole’ meeting where three out of five said they would give up their
● Three supervised toilet visits a day money (the incentive to take part) if it would get them out of the prison
● Two visits per week Individual differences were evident, as half the prisoners accepted the oppressive rule of the guards and not
● Scheduled exercise and movie times all the guards became hostile, some were fair, others became very cruel and some were quite passive and
● Lining up to be counted three times a day did not exercise power over the prisoners
● Testing on their knowledge of the rules and their ID number Prisoners perceived the guards to be ‘bigger’ than they were, despite the random allocation and no real
● Three meals a day physical differences in average height, or weight between the groups
● Work assignments and payment for these ($15)
Prisoners and guards could engage in any form of interaction, friendly or unfriendly, supportive or unsupportive, that they
elected to do
No direction was given to either group about how they should or should not interact with each other
Self-evaluations using questionnaires and tests were completed by prisoners and guards over the duration of the study in
order to assess the individual’s moods and personality
The experiment was terminated on day six (eight days earlier than scheduled)
