What were the criticisms of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

The study has received many ethical criticisms, including lack of fully informed consent by participants as Zimbardo himself did not know what would happen in the experiment (it was unpredictable). Also, the prisoners did not consent to being ‘arrested’ at home.

What is the main point of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

Q: What was the purpose of the Stanford Prison Experiment? A: The purpose was to understand the development of norms and the effects of roles, labels, and social expectations in a simulated prison environment.

What ethical principles did the Stanford Prison Experiment violate?

The Stanford Prison Experiment would not be allowed to be conducted today due to the various violations of ethics including depriving participants of the right to withdraw, informed consent, debriefing and the protection from physical and psychological harm.

What was the BBC prison Study?

The BBC Prison Study explores the social and psychological consequences of putting people in groups of unequal power. It examines when people accept inequality and when they challenge it. Findings from the study were first broadcast by the BBC in 2002.

What did the BBC prison Study show about what is necessary for effective leadership?

First, leadership is only possible where a set of people share a common group identity. Second, the most effective leader will be the person who is most typical of the group (the person whose prototypicality is highest) and hence able to best represent the shared group identity.

What were the weaknesses of the BBC prison Study?

Science and society

(a) that our study had no psychological reality for the participants;
(b) that it was fundamentally flawed because participants knew they were taking part in an experiment and that this would be shown on television;

What did the BBC Prison Study show about what is necessary for effective leadership?

Is conformity to social roles automatic?

These results clearly contradict the findings of Zimbardo and suggest that conformity to social roles may not automatic, as Zimbardo originally implied. Furthermore, individual differences and personality also determine the extent to which a person conforms to social roles.