In 1971 the notorious Stanford prison experiment was held in a simulated prison environment, created in the basement of Stanford University, where college students stepped into the role of either a prisoner or a guard.

 

The experiments goals were to investigate the effects of a disconcerting environment and the social expectations of the prisoner vs. guard role play, on the subject’s behaviours and responses. The experiment was meant to last two weeks but due to the disturbing persecution of the ‘prisoners’, the principal investigator Phillip G. Zimbardo ended it after six days.  

 

The sudden exacerbation of the experiment came as a shock, as the 24 people selected to enter it were tested both pyscologically and physically to ensure their mental well-being and physical health was acceptable for the conditions of the experiment. The subjects were paid and were split up equally into prisoners and guards. Guards were under strict rules not to abuse and exploit prisoners and were ordered to wear mirrored sunglasses to prevent any eye contact.

 

However, over the course of the experiment the guards became increasingly merciless and tyrannical. They became so immersed in their role that they began to emotionally and physically humiliate the prisoners. An example of this is when some of the ‘guards’ searched the ‘prisoners’ by stripping them naked and forcing the ringleader of the ‘prisoners’ into solitary confinement. Their overall harassment and intimidation of the prisoners is startling and revealing of the change of human behaviours in authoritarian roles.

 

Many people regarded the experiment as cruel and unethical as the prisoners were kept in unsanitary and dehumanising facilities. Several of them pleaded with ‘guards’ to leave but were spurned and ignored. This left many of the ‘prisoners’ trapped, serving to traumatise them. Within the first four days, three of the prisoners had become so traumatised that they were finally released, however, they were only allowed to leave after researchers had deemed them too disturbed and unsafe to continue in the experiment. This is evident of the inhumane aspect of the Stanford prison experiment, and how it breached the human rights of many.

 

Zimbardo very quickly created an “atmosphere of oppression” when he made each prisoner wear a dress as their uniform and a chain locked around one of their ankles. The subjects were constantly videotaped, increasing the sheer apprehension in the experiment’s environment.

 

Zimbardo stated that he believes that the experiment was ethical before it began, but quickly turned un-ethical when the abuse of the prisoners escalated to a point of anguish. Some believe that the reasons for the violent behaviours of the guards is because the original advertisement for the experiment attracted those who were inclined to authoritarianism. Psychologists are still searching for the true answer.