The Stanford Prison Experiment

A Simulation Study of the Psychology of Imprisonment
Conducted at Stanford University.

Welcome to the Stanford Prison Experiment web site, which features an extensive slide show and information about this classic psychology experiment. What happens when you put good people in an evil place? Does humanity win over evil, or does evil triumph? These are some of the questions we posed in this dramatic simulation of prison life conducted in the summer of 1971 at Stanford University.

More : www.prisonexp.org...

Slideshow : www.prisonexp.org...

A very famous experiment... and unfortunately nobody was able to make any progress in deciding what to do about the system.

My daughter (in her psychology class) reviewed this and they watched some of the film. She said it was VERY disturbing (upsetting.) She said she could see how the system created brutal guards and un-reformable prisoners... but she couldn't see what to do to change it.

That was the part that upset her most.

Nah....these experiments lack control. That's why they degrade the way they do.

In WW2 we treated german pows SO well, it's dispicable some might say. But some how we did....it is because the guards were not allowed to degrade into slave masters.

If you let a gaurd police his inmates by beating them, then he'll do it yes. But if you tell him that if a hair on his head is touched without any life threatening reason, he'll be on the inside with them, the gaurds will not touch the hair on his head.

You don't even really have to threaten either, it simply is a policy, a priviledge to act that way, and they'll do it.

Merrit the gaurds who show control of inmates by treating inmates fairly and respect, and gaurds will strive to act that way more.

As I think Nepolean said, pay a man money and he'll kill for you, give him a medal worth a penny and he'll die for you.

That way of mind is inbred in all of us. Give a gaurd a medal for showing restraint even during a prison riot, and more will strive to restrain themselves.

The first thing a guard must over come, is his fear that prisoners will try to take control.

If the guard realizes that the real way to control prisoners, is by letting them live better and stay shorter for behaving as an excellent citizen, then the inmates will behave well. Why give up better food and better treatment, for 5 years, so you can escape now, and die?

Things like that.

I think Nevada's prison//jail system is VERY good, they do that whole honor system thing, where they put you through marine boot camp and if you fail conduct wise, you get put back with the rest of the low lifes, the unsaveable.

Hmm well that's my opinions on this Prison experiment.

My over all opinion?

If stanford said don't touch the prisoners or we'll fail you, the gaurds would have found a way to make the prisoners respond without physical contact. (That is that the prisoners don't know they aren't allowed to touch them yes but still, point is made )

Sincerely,
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Originally posted by FreeMason
Nah....these experiments lack control. That's why they degrade the way they do.

But some how we did....it is because the guards were not allowed to degrade into slave masters.

If you let a gaurd police his inmates by beating them, then he'll do it yes. But if you tell him that if a hair on his head is touched without any life threatening reason, he'll be on the inside with them, the gaurds will not touch the hair on his head.

Yes and no.

It's depending from ourselves also.

During the Nurembergs trials, an S.S officer have been released with the congratulations of the tribunal.

He NEVER tortured, beated or just mistreated a prisonner. NEVER ! Of course, he had many problems with his hierarchy and " colleagues/komrads ", but he stayed fair and straight. It's not easy to act like this man, especially when you are an S.S officer in Auschwitz.

I know that he's an exception, but if he did it, we can do it too. I would like to have a link,but I have read this story there many years ago now. In a Simon Wiesenthal book I think.

Sadly I'm not sure what you were trying to say UP....it seems your english is getting poorer as time goes on

Something about an SS officer being released from trial, and thus not executed like his supperiors?

Maybe my slanted knowledge of this, hinders my interpretation

I heard of how those doing the acts would be let go, because they were ordered to by superiors and such...hmm.

What I meant by there were no controls in this Stanford Experiment, was that had they said, any harm done to anyone would result in legal actions, then they'd have thought more about what kind of force they implimented.

Much like play grounds you do not see very cruel treatment because the kids are thus put in time out

But an horribly over-looked thing about this experiment, is how fast it takes to take an ordinary bloke off the streets who even KNOWS it is fake!!!! And still manage to break them mentally to be able to brainwash them any way you could.

I wouldn't be surprised if barbarous nations didn't start using this method for training soldiers rather than more American ways, which while similar, still allows you to retain dignity and individuality...this thing pretty much broke everyone mentally in what 72 hours? Imagine what fanatics you could train after a month!

No wonder those Islams are so nuts, if any of those terror groups could just get a few of them for a week and presto, suicide bomber

Sincerely,
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As I rememeber the experiment was stoped when it was discovered, that a female test prisoner offered sex to a test guard to get released. As a result the test guard did have sex with her and then got caught trying to help her escape.