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Zimbardo 1971

Definition

"Zimbardo 1971" refers to psychologist Philip Zimbardo who conducted the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment in that year.

Analogy

Consider Zimbardo as a movie director who sets up an environment (the set), assigns roles (actors), and then observes how these elements interact over time - except this movie had real psychological consequences!

Related terms

Situational Attribution: This is attributing someone's behavior more due to situational factors than personal characteristics. Zimbardo argued that the abusive behavior of 'guards' was due more to situational pressures than inherent personality traits.

Ethical Guidelines in Research: These are rules set up by institutions about how research should be conducted ethically. Criticisms of Zimbardo's experiment often focus on ethical issues, such as lack of informed consent and causing harm to participants.

Social Psychology: This is the study of how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by others. Zimbardo's experiment is a key study in social psychology.