The Stanford Prison Experiment is one of the most famous studies in psychology, but also one of the most controversial. In this bonus episode, we look at what actually happened in the basement of Stanford University in 1971.

We explore:

• The landscape of psychological research at the time of the study
• How participants were selected and assigned roles
• The theatrical procedure of the study
• The unexpected outcomes and why it was stopped early
• Ethical lessons around consent and researcher responsibility
• Why the study is so influential to our understanding of institutions, power and authority

The Debunking Psychology series: HERE

Watch on Netflix: HERE

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Our favourite sources:
http://pdf.prisonexp.org/ijcp1973.pdf 
https://scholarship.richmond.edu/heroism-science/vol10/iss1/5/ 
https://gen.medium.com/the-lifespan-of-a-lie-d869212b1f62 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.