Zimbardo Prison Experiment Ethics

Definition

The ethics of the Zimbardo Prison Experiment refers to the moral principles and guidelines that were violated during the study conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971, which simulated a prison environment with participants assigned roles as guards or prisoners. This experiment raised serious concerns about informed consent, psychological harm, and the overall treatment of participants, leading to significant discussions on ethical standards in psychological research.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Zimbardo Prison Experiment was originally intended to last two weeks but was terminated after only six days due to the extreme psychological distress experienced by participants.
2. Participants who were assigned the role of guards displayed abusive behaviors towards those in the role of prisoners, raising concerns about the power dynamics and ethical implications of such roles.
3. Zimbardo himself acted as the prison superintendent, which compromised his ability to remain objective and protect participants from harm.
4. The lack of adequate debriefing after the experiment contributed to the long-term psychological effects on some participants, highlighting issues of care and follow-up.
5. The controversy surrounding the ethics of this experiment led to stricter guidelines for ethical conduct in psychological research, including better protections for participants.

Review Questions

• How did the Zimbardo Prison Experiment violate principles of ethical research, particularly concerning informed consent?
  • The Zimbardo Prison Experiment violated informed consent principles as participants were not fully aware of the potential risks involved in the study. They were misled about the extent to which they would experience psychological stress, as well as the nature of their roles. This lack of transparency meant that participants could not make fully informed decisions about their involvement, undermining their autonomy and safety.
• Discuss how the extreme behaviors exhibited by participants during the Zimbardo Prison Experiment raise questions about ethical oversight in psychological studies.
  • The extreme behaviors exhibited by guards, such as verbal abuse and humiliation, highlighted a significant failure in ethical oversight during the Zimbardo Prison Experiment. The lack of intervention by researchers to stop this behavior raises critical questions about their responsibility to protect participants from psychological harm. This incident revealed a need for stronger ethical guidelines and oversight mechanisms in psychological research to prevent similar situations in future studies.
• Evaluate how the Zimbardo Prison Experiment has influenced contemporary ethical standards in psychology and its impact on research protocols.
  • The Zimbardo Prison Experiment has had a profound influence on contemporary ethical standards within psychology, leading to more rigorous protocols for protecting participants' rights. Following this experiment, research ethics underwent significant revisions, including stricter requirements for informed consent, mandatory debriefing, and regular reviews by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). This shift has reinforced the importance of safeguarding participant welfare and ensuring that psychological studies prioritize ethical considerations in all aspects of research.

Related terms

Informed Consent:

The process of obtaining agreement from participants with a full understanding of the nature and risks involved in a study before they agree to take part.

Psychological Harm: The potential risk of causing emotional distress or trauma to participants as a result of their involvement in a psychological study.

Institutional Review Board (IRB): A committee that reviews research proposals to ensure ethical standards are upheld and that the rights and welfare of participants are protected.