Reflection Of Chapter 14 And The Stanford Prison Experiment

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Reflection Paper: The Stanford Prison Experiment
Human behavior is fascinating. Apart from what is considered normal, scientists have always gone to great lengths to glean as much insight as possible about the unusual aspects of human traits. The concerted efforts have attracted commendable success, helping scientists develop a more in-depth understanding of many psychological disorders – their diagnosis, causes and how they can be managed or treated. This refection centers on the Illinois prison experiment to understand why people act as they do and whether everyone harbors a concealed evil character that is only waiting for some situational prodding. While the prison experiment fails to meet the principle of no harm, it convincingly demonstrates that situational factors can potentially influence (unacceptable) behavior.
1 What was your reaction to this experiment?
The Stanford prison experiment is a successful demonstration of human behavior and how it changes under different circumstances. It makes it clear how institutions can shape behavior. The rebellious act of the “inmates” forced the “guards” to use force and other humiliating methods just to maintain law and order – which they perceived as their responsibility. However, quickly converted into brutal characters; they became increasingly condescending, demeaning the “prisoners” just because they had the authority to do so, and not because they were bad people. On the other hand, the subjects tried to cope with their new situation by being submissive, and the “learned helplessness” escalated their transition into being depressed (Myers 619). The study offers a unique way to understand how real life atrocious situations can prod even a good person into a character was arguably non-existent.
The Stanford prison experiment was a great contribution to science, but it was unjustifiably extreme. The principle of “no harm” to participants requires resea...