http://www.francesfarmersrevenge.com/stuff/archive/oldnews5/stanford.htm

I feel this is sufficient evidence that it should never be assumed that people in control will ever use that power responsibly, as if that isn't backed up by a million other examples. Anyway, discuss this business.

The best part is that the researcher in charge of it got sucked into it too.  He was thinking "wow, this is amazing stuff here," and someone finally told him "end the study, you monster!" and then he's like "Oh, no, you're right, I'm evil-- and I'll write about that too."  Now he's famous.

QuoteI feel this is sufficient evidence that it should never be assumed that people in control will ever use that power responsibly, as if that isn't backed up by a million other examples.

The subjects were ill-prepared.  It's hard to be in law enforcement because of the judgment you must exercise, using the power you have.

And lets not forget that it's not just power here, but submission.  Why do the prisoners act the way that they do?

Michel Foucault wrote an entire book on prisons and how they developed, but it's really about what it means to be human.  From what I've read of it, the prison is a microcosm for what happens in society:  you act and do as you are prescribed to by your role (although it is much more complicated than this).

Quote from: ZeitmiserZeitmesser;1327473http://www.francesfarmersrevenge.com/stuff/archive/oldnews5/stanford.htm

I feel this is sufficient evidence that it should never be assumed that people in control will ever use that power responsibly, as if that isn't backed up by a million other examples. Anyway, discuss this business.

Well, you should never assume anything. I don't think I'd go so far as to say this says much about people in power in general, but specifically the guard/prisoner relationship (though it does bear obvious resemblance to the relationship between authority figures and students in public schools). If you're trying to restrict someone's movements nearly that significantly, you generally develop a tendency to see them as less than human.

its bad treating prisoners in a horrible way, yet some did very bad things, so i think the ammount of treatment they get should be at range with their crimes.
 
fe. rape=bad treatment
 
minor theft= less hard treatment

Quote from: billiardball10;1327650its bad treating prisoners in a horrible way, yet some did very bad things, so i think the ammount of treatment they get should be at range with their crimes.
 
fe. rape=bad treatment
 
minor theft= less hard treatment

that's nice and all but this is about the stanford experiment

That's fucked up and amazing it only took 5 days to get to that point.
What was the original purpose of the experiment?  What were they testing?

Quote from: The Prince of All Cosmos;1327697That's fucked up and amazing it only took 5 days to get to that point.
What was the original purpose of the experiment?  What were they testing?

lets make some people be guards and others be prisoners and see what happens

that is pretty messed up :/, but i agree that prisons today aren't "correctional facilities" but "day care for grown ups."  Although some do get corrected and are able to become a functional in society, others just become more violent or dont even learn a thing.

Quote from: billiardball10;1327650its bad treating prisoners in a horrible way, yet some did very bad things, so i think the ammount of treatment they get should be at range with their crimes.
 
fe. rape=bad treatment
 
minor theft= less hard treatment

Hahahaha

Quote...judged to be the most normal, average and healthy.

Theres the problem. And the psychologist even says it.

Quotemost evil is the product of rather ordinary people caught up in unusual circumstances that they are not equipped to cope with in the normal ways

This is the same reason Hitler became so powerful.
Normal people can only deal with normal situations. Only leaders, the experienced, highly motivated, or extraordinary can deal with abnormal situations, and you cannot really tell if you fit into these groups without such circumstances arising.

Quote from: joliet_jane;1327588The subjects were ill-prepared.  It's hard to be in law enforcement because of the judgment you must exercise, using the power you have.

I'm saying that difficulty to refrain from such behavior is the very reason why they should never leave 24/7 scrutiny.

Quote from: The Prince of All Cosmos;1327697That's fucked up and amazing it only took 5 days to get to that point.
What was the original purpose of the experiment?  What were they testing?

It was more running a simulation than running an experiment.

Having been in prison simulations before on both sides, the temptation to take it to the extreme (stage a revolt / breakout on the very first day) is really high.  This is what happens when you do simulation with no real consequences.  Also, those that simulated as guards were given no training, no set standard, and no experienced cadre to rely on, so their response seems somewhat predictable.  Most of them were really young as well.

Considering ACTUAL guards have months/years of training with already set and drilled regulations verses the specific psychological states of criminals basically nullifies this test. This test is more like splitting up just the guards or just the prisoners into new guards and prisoners.

This is more of an experiment of what would happen if you took a group of all similar people and divided them into superior and subservient classes.

ok yeah no offense guys but you all suck at this and i'm going to gas this before you shit all over one of the most groundbreaking studies ever in my discipline