Standford Prison Experiment
The Standford Prison Experiment is though to have violated ethical guidelines. would you agree saying that the experiment went to far? or would you say that the experiment was done with volunteers, and nobody said the words "i quit the experiment" therefore making the experiment ethical?
I was under the impression A. that two people opted out, and B. the experiment was ended prematurely because of where things were going. (ETA: Oh yes, weren't they specifically told they could not harm the prisoners?)
It's difficult (for me) to say whether or not the methods used were ethical, because I don't know much about how recruitment was done, what the participants were told, etc. etc.--I do wonder how well informed the participants were as to what was going to happen. I don't think the researchers anticipated the extreme changes that ended up happening, and I think it scared them.
I'd love to know more about the process they used however--do you have a link to a good article on it?The recruitment was done by getting volunteers from the university. As for how well informed they were, it is hard to say... but i was made quite realistic in the sense that prisoners were not allowed to leave, and they were "arrested" from there apartments/ dorms. I defiantly agree that the researchers probably did not anticipate the extreme changes that happened. As for the opting out... nobody opted out, but they were taken out of the experiment due to the way they were reacting ( extremely stressed related reactions to the "guards") this is as far as i know.
ill look for a good article on it... i know there used to be some good video footage on the web, but a lot of it got removed.
Most of the participants suffered emotional trauma afterwards so personally, I think they went a bit too far.
Still, the results are fascinating.They probably should have stopped it a little earlier then they did.
I agree though, the results are fascinating.But prisoners were told by other prisoners not to quit....and consultants (an actual inmate)made fun of prisoners for "being weak."
The role of peer pressure cannot be underestimated.
There are other aspects that your statement either minimize or outright ignore due to the generalization made....
Yet, this experiment was as ethical as its real life embodyment is...
This study demonstrated the maleable nature of individuals and society, and further shows that decent people can be turned into something much different, all at the whim of a contrived system...
Especially in light of this research, those who set up Abu Ghraib should be incarcerated....and those at the bottom, the guards (who paid the highest price) should have received a much different treatment....
