The student guards in Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment behaved the way they did because:
A) they believed the "inmates" had actually committed crimes and deserved punishment.
B) they experienced the Lucifer effect,in which they were affected by social surroundings and cultural expectations.
C) they were simply following orders from a legitimate authority figure,who in this case was their professor.
D) they were malnourished.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The student guards in Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment behaved the way they did because they experienced the Lucifer effect, in which they were affected by social surroundings and cultural expectations. This refers to the idea that people's behavior can be dramatically influenced by the context and social roles they find themselves in. In the case of the experiment, the guards were given significant power and authority over the "inmates," which led them to behave in increasingly aggressive and hostile ways.

The Student Guards in Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment Behaved the Way