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The Stanford-Prison Experiment

The Stanford-Prison Experiment

The aim of the experiment “The Stanford Prison Experiment” was to study the social behavior between equal groups of prisoners and guards. The experience had been requested by the U.S. Army to understand the behavior of IM when heading a military prison. The prisoners were greatly humiliated. They have such clean toilets with their hands or sleep naked on the floor. Prisoners quickly had psychological trauma, two of them have also to be evacuated. Twenty four students of Stanford University were randomly selected for the roles of guards and prisoners. The study was conducted in the year 1971. The guards were gathered on the eve of the experience to have a small briefing. They were instructed not to create a physical violence, and that they should maintain order until the end of the experiment, which lasted two weeks. They were equipped with military-style khaki clothes, wooden sticks and sunglasses so that there was no exchange of looks between prisoners and guards. Prisoners were arrested from their home by the armed guards and police. They have been dressed with cotton dresses and no underwear with thongs (Haney, et al., 1973, pp. 9).

1. Good guards could not object the orders from bad guards because of their brutal treatment with the prisoners and the punishment they give to those who object. They are afraid of getting beaten by them. Bad guards created many torturing situations for the prisoner. They did not want to be beaten and suffer the pain that bad guards were giving to prisoners. This is the reason they could not object or countermanding their orders (Haney, et al., 1973, pp. 9).

2. The guards and prisoners were easily falling into their roles because the roles were so practical and real that creates sadistic and aggressive emotions among them. The roles were assigned randomly in a simulated prison environment. The situation that was created was so connected to real life they everyone seems to fall into their roles easily. The situation was so real that they easily react to it accordingly. If I would have faced the same situation, I would also take my role easily and manage it according to the presented situation (Carnahan & McFarland, 2007, pp. 603-614).

3. The situation of cruelty and brutal treatment to prisoners by the guards was based on the behavior of prisoners towards them. They want a positive behavior from both prisoners and other guards. If they get any negativity in the prison, they get aggressive and punish them for what they did. There are some rules and expected behavior that everyone in the prison has to follow. These guards are just monitoring the environment and ensure that everyone must follow these rules and if not, they would punish them. From their perspectives, it is included in their duty. There is nothing personal or any judgmental thing involved (Carnahan & McFarland, 2007, pp. 603-614).

4. Every person has its own self identity which he may change it according ...