Read about the Stanford Prison Experiment in 1971 and view a slide show of the experiment, which put ordinary Stanford University students in the position of guarding “inmates” – other students – while, unknown to the participants, their behavior was videotaped. Psychologist Philip Zimbardo, one of the experiment’s authors, says today that the sexual degradation of Iraqi prisoners of war by guards reminds him of the behavior of the “guards” in the experiment. As the guards on the night shift became bored, they used the prisoners for amusement. Zimbardo recalls that “guards” got “prisoners” to simulate sodomy and other homophobic behaviors, stripped them naked for various offenses, removed their sheets and mattresses and put them in solitary confinement for excessive periods. The researchers ended the study a week early because of abuse by the student guards.
| Website | http://www.prisonexp.org |
| Categories | Church & state, Crime & punishment, Ethics, Law & courts, National security |
| Locations | California, United States of America |
| Languages | English |