The Stanford
Prison Experiment raises the question of if we all have hostile tendencies
within us. Often whenever we have these ill thoughts we censor ourselves and
treat people respectfully. However, given the proper setting, people can
overcome their inhibitions and act in terrible ways. The role of prisoner and guard
made people act in vastly different ways based off of their fabricated status.
Those in the guard role changed to fit an authoritative version of a guard.
Without being pushed to become hostile, a section of the guards became cruel to
the prisoners for no reason other than the fact they were the guard and the
other was a prisoner.
This shows the effect of status and
power on the human psyche. An influx of power placed into the hands of a group
of people tempt people to act in ways they normally would not. The inverse can
also be said, the prisoners who were stripped of their personal freedoms began
to become meeker and more soft-spoken than before. They adapted to their new role and fell into
place. Something that stuck with me was how there were no special qualifications
to be a part of this experiment. These everyday people were transformed and
this makes me think of what would happen if those I knew were put into a
similar situation.
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