In 1971, Professor Philip Zimbardo conducted a prison experiment at Stanford University, which demonstrated how ordinary people could become cruel under certain circumstances. This experiment is commonly known as the “Stanford Prison Experiment” or the “Lucifer Effect.”
The Stanford Prison Experiment
The experiment involved creating a mock prison. Volunteers were randomly assigned to act as either “guards” or “prisoners,” and their interactions were observed. Out of 71 applicants, Zimbardo selected 21 of the most psychologically stable individuals for the study.
Once roles were assigned, the mock guards went to the mock prisoners’ homes to bring them to the makeshift prison located in the basement of Stanford University.
“The Mock Guards Become Increasingly Cruel…”
As the experiment progressed, those assigned as guards began to act increasingly authoritative and oppressive towards the prisoners. Conversely, the mock prisoners began to exhibit behaviors typical of actual prisoners.
Over time, the guards’ behavior grew more abusive, even leading to sexual harassment of the prisoners. The experiment was ultimately halted after just six days due to the guards’ increasing brutality and the prisoners’ emotional breakdowns.
“The Experiment’s Termination”
Zimbardo himself, acting as the prison superintendent, became so engrossed in the experiment that he lost his objectivity. The intervention of his partner and graduate colleague, Christina Maslach, led to the termination of the experiment.
Zimbardo later reflected on the experience, saying, “What we saw was frightening.” He noted:
- “During the experiment, both the experimenters and the participants lost sight of where the ‘role’ of the subjects ended and their ‘selves’ began. Most participants truly became ‘prisoners’ or ‘guards,’ blurring the lines between role-playing and self-identity. There were dramatic changes in behavior, thoughts, and emotions. Less than a week in the simulated prison erased what they had learned over a lifetime, suspended their sense of human value, challenged their self-concept, and exposed the most pathological aspects of human nature. ‘Prisoner’ students became servile, thinking only of escaping to survive, while ‘guard’ students treated ‘prisoners’ like animals and seemed to enjoy their cruelty, to the experimenters’ horror.”
“The 2004 U.S. Military Prisoner Abuse Scandal in Iraq”
In May 2004, a scandal erupted at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, Iraq, involving U.S. military personnel abusing prisoners. As an expert witness in the trials, Zimbardo remarked, “What happened in Iraq was not surprising to me,” emphasizing that in places with severe power imbalances, such as prisons, extreme self-control by guards is necessary to prevent the worst outcomes.
“The Lucifer Effect”
In 2007, Zimbardo published “The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil,” documenting the Stanford experiment and the Abu Ghraib incidents. The term “Lucifer,” meaning “bearer of light” and “morning star,” refers to a being beloved by God who fell from grace and became Satan due to pride.
The “Lucifer Effect” thus describes the transformation of good people into evil beings, a “devil effect.” Unlike Lucifer, who fell due to defying authority, the Stanford experiment participants became corrupt through blind obedience to authority.
“Allegations of Manipulation in the Stanford Prison Experiment”
Over time, allegations surfaced that the Stanford Prison Experiment was manipulated. Ben Bloom’s article “The Lifespan of a Lie” sparked controversy by claiming the experiment was rigged. Interviews and recordings revealed:
- Douglas Korpi, “prisoner 8612,” faked his mental breakdown to leave the experiment and study for the GRE.
- Prisoners were scared not by guards but by being denied the option to leave, despite Zimbardo’s recorded instruction that they could only leave for medical or psychological reasons.
- Guards’ harsh behavior was pre-planned and directed by experiment staff, including David Jaffe, who corrected lenient guards.
- Dave Eshelman, known for his cruelty, treated his role as an act, having studied acting.
“Similar Experiments, Different Results”
Psychologist Rutger Bregman, in EBS’s “Great Lessons,” highlighted this and other flawed studies, noting that French sociologist Thibault Le Texier’s review of original data showed guards’ behavior was influenced by Zimbardo’s instructions. BBC’s replication failed to reproduce the results.
Advancements in technology and broader data collection have shown that cooperation, not cruelty, often prevails in extreme situations.
“Films Based on the Experiment”
Several films have been made about the experiment, including “The Experiment” (2001 German and 2010 American versions) and “The Stanford Prison Experiment” (2015), the latter being a more documentary-like portrayal.
- 2001 The Experiment
- 2010 The Experiment
- 2015 The Stanford Prison Experiment