Social Influence 1.4- Conformity to social roles

Social roles are part of peoples social groups, they include job roles, such as teachers and police. There is considerable amounts of pressure to conform to expectations of social roles, by conforming this is called identification.

ZIMBARDO (1973) Stanford prison experiment

AO1

Procedure-

Zimbardo converted the basement of the university into a mock prison setting and advertised to students on campus for the role of of prisoner and guard over a 2 week period. The roles were randomly assignment and participants were given uniforms fitting to their role.

Along with the main uniform guards were also given REFLECTIVE SUNGLASSES (why is this? discuss)

Guards worked 8 hour shifts and were not permitted to use physical violence. Zimbardo examined behaviour in both the prisoners and the guards, and also acted as the prisons warden.

Prisoners were collected from their homes in a police car to make the experiment seem real.

Findings-

Within a short time frame participants, both guard and prisoner began to settle into roles. Guards began fit into their role of ‘power’ quicker.

Guards began to harass prisoners and acted in a brutal manner towards the prisoners and were shown to be enjoying their torment. Prisoners also began to conform to the rules and made sure another didn’t act out as they were punished as a collective.

AO3 Evaluation-

+Although the study was cut short, the study altered the ways that US prisons were ran. Juvenils accused of crimes are not housed with adult prisoners before a trial due to risks of violence.

-Participants were not protected from psychological harm and experienced humiliation and distress throughout. One prisoner was released after 36 hours due to uncontrollable bursts of screaming and crying.

HOWEVER

+Zimbardo responded to this, claiming the study was not meant to cause emotional distress and debrief sessions were given for several years with no long term affects found.

+The study led to the creation of ethical guidelines in psychological research. Resulting in studies having to gain ethical approval before they are conducted, research is assessed on the potential benefits it will create, against the psychological risk.

-The study gives an increased demand characteristic, as post study multiple participants revealed that they were simply acting the role they played as they thought that it was what Zimbardo wanted.

-Androcentric population bias, due to the study only involving male participants and them all being from a US University. Meaning that the study isn’t applicable to females or anyone outside of the US.

Ways of teaching and delivering-

-First ask students if they have ever heard or come across the study, to find the students understanding and prior knowledge.

-Deliver to the group and throughout highlight key areas and ask why they might lead to conformity. eg, how does having mirrored sunglasses allow the guards to stick in their roles, and why is it important that participants wore uniforms?