Question

In the Stanford prison simulation, male college students agreed to participate in an experiment to discover what would happen when they took on the roles of prisoners and guards. The researchers found that __________.

a. within a short time the prisoners became distressed and panicky, with accompanying
emotional and physical ailments
b. a small percentage of the guards became tyrannical and abusive in order to maintain the
social structure of the prison
c. the "tough but fair" guards urged the tyrannical guards to lighten up on the prisoners
d. all of the prisoners and the guards became harsh and abusive

Answer 1

In the Stanford prison simulation, researchers found that the prisoners experienced significant distress and the guards exhibited tyrannical behavior, leading to the early termination of the experiment.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the Stanford prison simulation, the researchers found that a. within a short time the prisoners became distressed and panicky, with accompanying emotional and physical ailments. This landmark psychological study conducted by Philip Zimbardo at Stanford University in 1971 revealed the power of social roles and authority in influencing behavior. The participants, both 'prisoners' and 'guards,' quickly internalized their roles. The 'guards' embraced authoritarian measures and some became tyrannical, while the 'prisoners' exhibited significant stress and hopelessness. As the situation escalated, even the lead researcher, Zimbardo, succumbed to his role as the prison supervisor. The study was terminated after only six days due to the extreme emotional distress suffered by the 'prisoners' and the ethical concerns surrounding the participants' treatment.