In my Leadership 102 class, that was the first time I was introduced to this experiment and even after reviewing it again in the reading, it still baffled me. It is alarming that this experiment revealed human’s hidden capability to act sadistically or submissively if social conditions change and are permitted; this is what happens when one is given power, and how easily humans succumb to the evil side of their psyche. I guess that is the dark side of human nature and if you don’t understand it than you’re vulnerable to it. But I’m not gonna lie it was interesting to see how easily the human psyche given repetitive abuse is conditioned to receive it and accept it. It really spoke volumes of the relationship between the abuser and the abused.
The planned two-week study simulation ended only after 6 days…so imagine what would’ve happened if they hadn’t canceled the experiment. Also, It wasn’t specifically mentioned, but the ‘John Wayne’ guard portrayal seems to show how the attitude and behavior of one dominant person can affect or even guide the behavior of others, prisoners. This just goes to show how much humans in general tend to be followers rather than leaders.
I definitely agree that there is something to be said about the effects of repetitive abuse on individuals to result in a conditioning of acceptance. I don’t think I would initially consider these prisoner participants to be followers by nature, but their environment and treatment made them instinctively submissive to the guards they relied on for food and fair treatment. Experiments like these are so demanding on an individual’s sense of self that it kind of reduces them to act primally, protecting themselves for survival.
I really liked your response. I think it is fascinating how these participants were willing to give in to the experiment to the extent they did. I found another fascinating part of it to be how willing the participants’ friends and families were able to go along with the experiment when they visited the inmates. The Superintendent disregarded parents concerns and were able to spin their questions to make the parents question the mental strength of their kids even though they could see it at first hand. Even though the superintendent was a faux leader, they still had such a large affect on persuading people to think / act in certain ways. I think its a really interesting case study on leading/persuading people.