Investigating the Stanford Prison Experiment : History of a Lie
Springer, 2024 [2018], 196 pp.
Thèmes liés : In English - Science
In 1971, the famous Stanford Prison Experiment aimed to show that normal people could behave in pathological ways, becoming hostile and sadistic, under the influence of their environment.
Based on the first thorough investigation in the archives of the experiment and on interviews with about half the people who participated in it, this book shows that the Stanford experiment is closer to cinema than science. In particular, it provides strong and numerous evidences that :
- The SPE was modeled after a student experiment : The Toyon Hall experiment.
- The guards knew what results were expected from them.
- The guards were trained and supervised by the experimenters.
- The guards were following a schedule and a set of rules written by the experimenters.
- The experimenters deceived the guards and made them believe they were not subjects.
- The participants responded to demand characteristics.
- The prisoners were conditioned by the experimenters.
- The prisoners were not allowed to leave the experiment at will.
- The mock prison situation was unrealistic and most participants did not forget they were participating in an experiment.
- The data was not collected properly.
- The experiment was inaccurately reported.
- The conclusions were pre-written according to non-academic aims.
- Rationally Speaking podcast, hosted by Julia Galef (podcast & full transcript here).
- You’re Wrong About podcast, hosted by Michael Hobbes and Sarah Marshall (here).
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