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The Zimbardo Experiment
Discussion
The Stanford Prison Experiment exemplifies the blurred lines that exist within the society when it comes to how far people can go in the exertion of authority. Taking from the argument that is presented by the guard, then conforms to the social influence of the role that he is given in the experiment to the point that he wanders off the concept of obedience. That is, the initial need to exert authority was a show of obedience to the given role. Still, it evolves when the top of the hierarchy now becomes him in the situation where there are prisoners involved. Apart from normative social pressure, Elsehman also conforms to social information pressure because he can hear what the guards from the other side of the wall are saying. Hence, he takes up the guard’s role more seriously when he welcomes the information that he is hearing on what the researchers really want to see. The observers’ presence acts as an incentive to boost their performance in areas that were previously easy tasks. The guard acquires a sense of anonymity and chooses to become the best actor that the experiment has ever seen.
Reply
Hello Madison,
I find it interesting that you quote Shakespeare’s words given the theatrics that were orchestrated by Zimbardo in the Stanford experiment. Also, I observe that the severity of the task dies not dawn on the guards until they are exposed to other situational factors that cause them to act in the manner they did. As you noted, situational factors affected the guard’s individual behavioral outcomes, such as wearing sunglasses, having on military outfits, being asked to bring out reactions from the prisoners, and hearing the observers speak from the other side of the wall.