key term - Zimbardo's prison experiment

Definition

Zimbardo's prison experiment was a psychological study conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971 to examine the effects of perceived power and authority on individuals' behavior. Participants were randomly assigned roles as prisoners or guards in a simulated prison environment, leading to significant ethical concerns and unexpected negative outcomes.

Related terms

Compliance:

Compliance refers to changing one's behavior due to explicit requests or demands from others.

Conformity:

Conformity is the tendency to adjust one's attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors to match those of a group.

Deindividuation:

Deindividuation occurs when individuals lose their self-awareness and personal identity in group situations, which can lead them to engage in impulsive or deviant behaviors.