The BBC Prison Study, conducted by Alex Haslam and Steve Reicher, investigates group behavior and power dynamics in a mock prison. It examines how individuals react to inequality, the role of social identity in resistance, and the effects of non-physical rule enforcement. The study's interventions and outcomes offer insights into the psychology of authority and collective action.
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The Stanford Prison Experiment served as a foundation for the BBC Prison Study, which aimed to ethically examine group behavior and power dynamics
Participant Selection
The study meticulously screened over 300 male applicants to select 15 participants without histories of violence or psychological vulnerability
Data Collection
Data collection was comprehensive, utilizing video surveillance, psychological assessments, and physiological measures to gauge stress
The study aimed to explore the social and psychological mechanisms that underpin group behavior and power dynamics within a simulated prison environment
The study utilized a constructed prison setting and randomly assigned participants to the roles of guards or prisoners
Permeability
The study manipulated the belief that prisoners could become guards to observe its impact on group dynamics
Legitimacy
The study tested the fairness and acceptance of the hierarchy by introducing and then removing the possibility of role change
Cognitive Alternatives
The study examined the presence of ideas that challenge the status quo and their impact on group solidarity and action
The study was terminated on the eighth day due to ethical concerns
The announcement of fixed roles catalyzed a collective identity and resistance among the prisoners
The guards did not establish a unified front, leading to ineffective management and stress
The study highlights the importance of shared social identity in organizing and exerting power, and demonstrates that a lack of collective identity among those in power can contribute to the perpetuation of oppressive systems
The study has been critiqued for potential ethical breaches
Ecological Validity
The artificiality of the prison setting may have affected the study's ecological validity
Demand Characteristics
The study's findings may have been influenced by demand characteristics
External Validity
The study's external validity is limited by the homogeneous, self-selected sample of male volunteers
The study offers profound educational value, shedding light on the processes of role adoption, group norms, and navigating authority and dissent
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BBC Prison Study Year and Leaders
Conducted in 2002 by psychologists Alex Haslam and Steve Reicher.
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Ethical Comparison to Stanford Experiment
Aimed for a more ethically sound approach than the Stanford prison experiment.
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Research Focus of BBC Prison Study
Examined conditions for role conformity and factors driving resistance to authority.
