Stanford Prison Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment was a behavioral study of students as a model for prisoner and guard mentality. Philip Zimbardo conducted the research for a series of papers written by himself and several graduate students. It is a prominent case study of unethical human subject research.
Contents
History
Philip Zimbardo studied the mentalities of prisoners and guards under stressful stimuli. He recruited male students for a vaguely specified experiment that would last 1 to 2 weeks. A daily compensation rate was offered. Ultimately, 24 applicants were selected.
Mock jail cells were constructed in the basement of Jordan Hall. An orientation session was held for the 'guards' including instructions for how to use force and withhold food and water to maintain law and order. The 'prisoners' were arrested by real Palo Alto police and handed over to the mock jail. Many 'normal' procedures were followed: fingerprinting, mug shots, and a strip search.
By day 2 of confinement, the 'prisoners' began to revolt. The experiment became excessively violent and was discontinued on day 6.