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In this video I discuss the Stanford Prison Study conducted by Philip Zimbardo and colleagues at Stanford University. Psychologically-healthy college-aged male participants were randomly assigned to the roles of prisoners and guards for a 2 week study. The prisoners were arrested and brought to the basement of the psychology building and placed into mock cells. The guards were given sunglasses, uniforms, and batons and told to maintain authority over the prison during their daily 8 hour shifts. After 6 days the study was discontinued due to mistreatment and emotional breakdowns of the prisoners. This is often described as a demonstration of the power of the situation to transform people into sadistic guards or passive prisoners, though I describe several criticisms of these conclusions.

Haney, C., Banks, C., & Zimbardo, P. G. (1973). Interpersonal dynamics in a simulated prison. International Journal of Criminology and Penology, 1, 69–97: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232496133_Interpersonal_Dynamics_in_a_Simulated_Prison

Peter Gray: Why Zimbardo's Prison Experiment Isn't in my Textbook: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201310/why-zimbardo-s-prison-experiment-isn-t-in-my-textbook

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