Stanford Prison Experiment

Although the Stanford Prison Experiment has become a controversial study due to the effects of prison life the prisoners tolerated, I believe it was an ethical study. All of the participants volunteered to participate and some were even eliminated due to psychological or medical disabilities. Volunteers were paid to participate and were randomly selected to be either guards or prisoners. All of these aspects are important to gain approval from an Institutional Review Board.

Since no one, prisoner or guard, spoke up to stop the experiment or be removed from the experiment, they just assumed their roles, this experiment has contributed to the understanding of the role of authority in society. The experimenters were able to be objective enough that they recognized the increasing tension and distress from all the participants and ended the study earlier than planned. After the study ended, prisoners were able to talk to guards about how they felt about their treatment in prison. The Stanford Prison Experiment received flack for its quick transformation from experiment to real life, but the procedures the researchers followed categorize it as an ethical experiment.

Week One: Introductions

Hello! My name is Rachel. I am currently a student at the University of Virginia. I am majoring in Psychology and earning my Masters of Teaching in Elementary Education. After I graduate, I hope to teach in a charter school in Massachusetts. In order to complete my Masters and Bachelors on time, I need to take extra courses outside of school and summer classes helps me earn more credits. I took a Sociology of the Family class two years ago and really enjoyed it. I signed up for Sociology 200 because I wanted to learn more about sociological concepts and the field of sociology.

Outside of school, I really enjoy playing sports and reading. Besides taking this class, this summer I am babysitting and visiting friends in various states.

From this class, I hope to gain a greater understanding about society and how it functions.