It was supposed to be a rudimentary experiment about abusive behaviour in the prison system, but it quickly exposed a side of human behaviour no one was expecting.
In 1971, a team of researchers from Stanford University led by professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo selected 24 student volunteers to participate in a simulated prison experiment to examine the source of abusive behaviour between prison guards and prisoners.
To the researchers’ surprise, the participants adapted to their roles beyond anyone’s expectations, as participants went from middle-class undergrads to abusive prison guards and submissive prisoners.
Drunk on power, the guards took up their role with gusto, enforcing strict rules and subjecting some of the prisoners to psychological abuse. The prisoners, for their part, passively accepted the abuse and at the request of the guards even harassed other prisoners who attempted to prevent the abuse.
Zimbardo permitted the abuse to continue for six days before the experiment was shut down. Â
The results astonished the world and the experiment became a classic study on the psychology of imprisonment.
Directed by Kyle Alvarez, The Stanford Prison Experiment is a tense psychological thriller based on the true story of Zimbardo’s experiment. The film, like the experiment, raises as many questions as it does answers.
The Japer Film Club will be screening the film at the Chaba Theatre Jan. 14 at 7 p.m.
The Jasper Film Club will continue playing films the first Thursday of every month until April. All shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for non-members and $8 for members.
Paul Clarke [email protected]
