During Philip Zimbardo’s simulated prison experiment, there were many ethical problems at hand. The actual severity of these ethical issues was discovered only once the experiment had begun, after some of the participants acting as prisoners had to be removed before the end of the experiment. After the experiment was over, it was determined that some of the participants acting as prison guards had exhibited sadistic tendencies throughout their role. Those acting as prisoners were all severely emotionally traumatized from the sadistic actions exposed to them by the prison guards. Additionally, the physical conditions in which the prisoners were forced to endure were considered unethical, as they wore uncomfortable smocks that did not fit them correctly, stocking caps, and a chain around one of their ankles.
Zimbardo’s study certainly does reflect what some prisoners might encounter while actually locked up in a prison, especially when it comes to both the lack of privacy and control over their daily activities, which are chosen for them by the guards in an actual prison setting. In some cases the behaviors exhibited by the guards in Zimbardo’s experiment might also be experienced in a real prison setting.
The study conducted by Zimbardo can be seen by many as one that was necessary in order to prove the actual psychological and ethical issues that are endured by inmates within our prisons. The fact that the guards in the experiment were dressed exactly like real guards and were instructed to depersonalize the inmates seems to show just how inmates are truly treated in an unethical manner while imprisoned.
The flagrant ethical violations encountered in Zimbardo’s experiment can be clearly seen as the demoralization and dehumanization factors that were forced onto the prisoners by the guards. The ethically acceptable actions include the removal of the prisoners’ privacy and the respect factor that is expected by the prisoners toward the guards.
Reference
Zimbardo, P. G., Musen, K., Stanford Instructional Television Network., & Insight Media (Firm). (1991). Quiet rage: The Stanford prison study. New York, NY: Distributed by Insight Video.
