1. The Stanford Prison Experiment

2. The Stanford Prison Experiment: Lecture objectives 1. Visit the Stanford Prison Experiment. 2. Describe the social psychological processes occurring in the SPE.

3. SPE The SPE can be viewed as a replication of the autocratic leadership condition of the Lewin democracy experiment. However, in the SPE it is more than a leader but an entire social system. Show DVD

4. Social Psychological Processes Altercasting: The key to understanding the SPE is the ease in which humans slip in and out of roles Process is underestimated which gives SPE its sense of being unique Flexible roles are essential part of human life (compared to other social animals) Masks are common in our early ancestors Evolutionary advantage

5. Social Psychological Processes Obedience to authority Social conformity (norms) Actions of others created a social reality Granfalloon (social identities) Guards vs. prisoners Cognitive dissonance Rationalizing their actions Dehumanize others Rationalization trap Power

6. SPE = Power of the situation Personality measures did not predict much (other than some prisoner adjustments) Fundamental & ultimate attribution errors are often given as explanations for events such as SPE The lesson of the SPE is that is any person (regardless of gender, personality, culture, ethnicity, religion, etc.) behave as the subjects did in the SPE.