Final answer:
The Stanford Prison Experiment was a study conducted by Philip Zimbardo at Stanford University. Participants were randomly assigned to be prisoners or guards, and the experiment was meant to last for two weeks but was ended early due to abusive behavior. The study has faced criticism for various reasons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Stanford Prison Experiment was a study conducted by social psychologist Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues at Stanford University.
The experiment involved assigning participants to the roles of prisoners and guards, and observing how they acted in those roles.
The participants were randomly assigned to their roles, which is important because it helps ensure that any differences in behavior between the groups are not due to preexisting characteristics of the individuals.
The experiment was meant to last for two weeks, but had to be ended after only six days due to the abusive behavior of the guards and the deteriorating mental state of the prisoners.
It is important to note that the study has faced criticism for various reasons, including the way participants were recruited and the potential for demand characteristics to influence the behavior observed.