History Main / StanfordPrisonExperiment

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a famous psych experiment preformed by Philip Zimbardo where volunteers were split into groups of "guards" and "prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, [[BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real]], with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles". The "guards" (and researchers) quickly becoming abusive and sadistic, while the "prisoners" attempted to riot and showed symptoms associated with long-term incarceration. The entire experiment had to be stopped after six days (it was originally planned to last two weeks), and is often used as an example of psychological research that cannot be repeated due to ethical concerns.

* Episode "Biginner Pottery" involved several of the cast members taking a week-long sailing course. The sailboat was in the parking lot, but that didn't stop them from abandoning someone who fell overboard because that's what the teacher wanted.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a famous psych experiment preformed by Philip Zimbardo where volunteers were split into groups of "guards" and "prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, [[BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real]], with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles". The "guards" (and researchers) quickly becoming abusive and sadistic, while the "prisoners" attempted to riot and showed symptoms associated with long-term incarceration. The entire experiment had to be stopped after six days (it was originally planned to last two weeks), and is often used as an example of psychological research that cannot be repeated due to ethical concerns. While many people know of the experiment, few realize how little it proves. The experiment was tainted by a combination of selection bias, insufficient controls, a small sample population, various methodological flaws, and not noting the personalities of guards before the experiment began (there was no attempt to discern if an evil guard was always sadistic, or only became sadistic during the experiment). Zimbardo dedicated much of his career to the promotion of the idea that bad environments drive bad behavior, and it's no coincidence that this study proved exactly that.

See also: {{What You Are In The Dark}}, BecomingTheMask, ADarkerMe and BeneathTheMask

** Likewise, the American remake, ''The Experiment,'' pretty much says HumansAreBastards.

* ''{{Veronica Mars}}'': One episode had a psychology class running the Stanford Prison Experiment in Veronica's university, though it doesn't turn out quite the same way. While the "Guards" quickly assume their roles, the "Prisoners" manage to use their brains to mess with the "Guards".
* ''Series/{{Community}}'': A recent episode involved several of the cast members taking a sailing course. The sailboat was in the parking lot, but that didn't stop them from abandoning someone who fell overboard.
** In an earlier [[Recap/CommunityS1E09Debate109 episode]], Jeff references this very trope to argue that "man is evil."
* ''Series/{{Life}}'': In an episode, the {{Victim Of The Week}} was a "guard" in one of these. The professor who was running it did it every semester for 5 days using college students. (One wonders how the student volunteers were able to ditch all of their classes for 5 days?)

* In ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'', it's revealed that the lower levels of the Combine forces, "Civil Protection" are completely unmodified humans, who initially join for the added rations and other benefits. The position of power, anonymity and [[PoliceBrutality access to stun-sticks]] does the rest of work turning them into a bunch of sociopathic thugs.

* ''When I Was Ming the Merciless'' by GeneWolfe invokes this trope, apparent being set in the aftermath of a particularly brutal large scale version of the experiment in a school. While the Stanford experiment is never mentioned, it is Wolfe's style to expect his readers to be familiar with it.

* In ''HalfLife'' 2, it's revealed that the lower levels of the Combine forces, "Civil Protection" are completely unmodified humans, who initially join for the added rations and other benefits. The position of power, anonymity and [[PoliceBrutality access to stun-sticks]] does the rest of work turning them into a bunch of sociopathic thugs.

* ''When I Was Ming the Merciless'' by GeneWolfe invokes this trope, apparent being set in a aftermath of a particularly brutal large scale version of the experiment in a school. While the Stanford experiment is never mentioned, it is Wolfe's style to expect his readers to be familiar with it.

[[AC:Literature]]

* ''{{The Colony}}'': This show has a psychology expert who frequently describes how the fake postapocalyptic scenario is being treated as real by the contestants.

* ''{{Life}}'': In an episode, the {{Victim Of The Week}} was a "guard" in one of these. The professor who was running it did it every semester for 5 days using college students. (One wonders how the student volunteers were able to ditch all of their classes for 5 days?)

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a famous psych experiment preformed by Philip Zimbardo where volunteers were split into groups of "guards" and "prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, [[BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real]], with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles". The "guards" (and researchers) quickly becoming abusive and sadistic, while the "prisoners" attempted to riot and showed symptoms associated with long-term incarceration. The entire experiment had to be stopped after six days (it was originally planned to last two weeks), and is often used as an example of psychological research that cannot be repeated due to ethical concerns. While many people know of the experiment, few realize how little it proves. The experiment was tainted by a combination of selection bias, researcher participation, insufficient controls, a small sample population, various methodological flaws, and not noting the personalities of guards before the experiment began (there was no attempt to discern if an evil guard was always sadistic, or only became sadistic during the experiment).Zimbardo dedicated much of his career to the promotion of the idea that bad environments drive bad behavior, and it's no coincidence that this study proved exactly that. Pretty much the entire scientific process was ignored.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a famous psych experiment where volunteers were split into groups of "guards" and "prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, [[BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real]], with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles". The "guards" (and researchers) quickly becoming abusive and sadistic, while the "prisoners" attempted to riot and showed symptoms associated with long-term incarceration. The entire experiment had to be stopped after six days (it was originally planned to last two weeks), and is often used as an example of psychological research that cannot be repeated due to ethical concerns.

** In an earlier [[Recap/CommunityS1E09Debate109 episode]], Jeff references to argue that "man is evil."

** In an earlier [[Recap//CommunityS1E09Debate109 episode]], Jeff references to argue that "man is evil."

* ''{{Community}}'': A recent episode involved several of the cast members taking a sailing course. The sailboat was in the parking lot, but that didn't stop them from abandoning someone who fell overboard.

* ''{{Fallout}}'': The Vaults were meant to provoke a Stanford Prison type of environment. Each with their own means of starting an experiment.

* ''{{Sabrina The Teenage Witch}}'': One episode had her class simulate the Salem Witch Trials and of course Sabrina ends up getting persecuted by her classmates, led by the AlphaBitch.
* ''StarTrekVoyager'': In a possibly related example, The Doctor attempts to learn about family relationships by creating a home life in the holodeck with a holographic wife and kids. He ends up getting really emotionally invested in it, to the point where [[spoiler: when his holo-daughter dies, he's absolutely heartbroken]].

It also an easily recognized plot premise for ''any'' kind of storytelling.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a famous psych experiment where volunteers were split into groups of "guards" and "prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, [[BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real]], with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles". The "guards" (and researchers) quickly becoming abusive and sadistic, while the "prisoners" attempted to riot and showed symptoms associated with long-term incarceration. The entire experiment had to stopped after six days (it was originally planned to last two weeks), and is often used as an example of psychological research that cannot be repeated due to ethical concerns.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a famous psych experiment where volunteers were split into groups of "guards" and "prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real, with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles". The "guards" (and researchers) quickly becoming abusive and sadistic, while the "prisoners" attempted to riot and showed symptoms associated with long-term incarceration. The entire experiment had to stopped after six days (it was originally planned to last two weeks), and is often used as an example of psychological research that cannot be repeated due to ethical concerns.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a famous psych experiment where volunteers were split into groups of "guards" and "prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, [[BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real, with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles. The "guards" (and researchers) quickly becoming abusive and sadistic, while the "prisoners" attempted to riot and showed symptoms associated with long-term incarceration. The entire experiment had to stopped after six days (it was originally planned to last two weeks), and is often used as an example of psychological research that cannot be repeated due to ethical concerns.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a famous psych experiment where volunteers were split into groups of "guards" and "prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, [[BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real, with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles"]].

* ''{{Sabrina The Teenage Witch}}'': One episode had her class simulate the Salem Witch Trials and of course Sabrina ends up getting persecuted by her classmates, led by TheLibby.

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The Stanford Prison Experiment, is a famous psych experiment where volunteers were split into groups of "Guards" and "Prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, [[BecomingTheMask they quickly began treating it as though it was real, with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles"]].

The Stanford Prison Experiment, is a famous psych experiment where volunteers were split into groups of "Guards" and "Prisoners". While both sides knew it was fake, they quickly began treating it as though it was real, with both groups spontaneously falling into their "roles".

See also: {{What You Are In The Dark}}