Introduction
The film The Stratford Prison Experiment recreates the experiment originally done by
Philip Zimbardo, a Psychology Professor at the University of Stratford. Billy Crudrup takes
the role of Philip G Zimbardo in the movie. During the cast, 24 male students are selected
and assigned the roles of guards and prisoners at the flip of coin. The experiment was carried
out in 1971, during the summer holidays. The film reflects clearly how what transpired
during the study was terrible. The students assuming the roles of prisoners were subjected to
immense torture during the process by the guards. The guards became sadists and inflicted
pain to their subjects. As a result, the study was projected to last for two weeks but only took
six days.
Various efforts were made to ensure ethical guidelines were followed in the film. First,
No physical violence was allowed. Zimbardo permitted the guards to do whatever necessary
to ensure the maintenance of law and order, but not the use of physical violence. Also, tests
were conducted on the participants in order to recruit only those who were mentally and
physically stable. This would ensure no occurrence of extreme cases. Despite all the ethical
guidelines put in place, several ethical dilemmas were experienced during the study. The
prisoners were subjected to physical torture through forms such as push-ups. While doing
push-ups, one of the guards even stepped on the prisoners' backs. In addition, Zimbardo also
got involved in the study despite expectations of an experimenter not to take part in the
research.
Different types of methodologies are used in the study. Questionnaires are used to
assess the students’ family backgrounds, criminal activities and mental health. Furthermore,
the students are interviewed to determine their ability to participate in the Psychological
THE STRATFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT 3
study. The students are chosen from a group of students who were willing to participate.
Finally, the experimenter ensured that he only selected people who were physically stable and
of sound mind.
According to the study, situations can play a significant role in individuals’
behaviours. The guards began to exercise authority to the prisoners. Also, the prisoners
started being submissive because of the state they were in. The study did not unfold as
expected and therefore ended after the sixth day. The prisoners were subjected to inhumane
acts and torture, resulting in an abrupt stop to the experiment. Unethical conducts were
experienced in this study. Zimbardo got involved in the experiment even though he was the
one conducting the research study. Despite watching from the screen the way the guards were
abusive and hostile, Zimbardo did not act to make the situation friendly. Nonetheless, the
study though under critics found that human beings act according to the situation they are in.
The prisoners become submissive to the authority, and the guards exercised full authority.
My personal reactions to the film are more of critics. The participants were only
whites, which make the experiment to be not applicable to different regions of the world.
Also, the mock prison environment does not present some of the situations present in our
prisons. However, this study is vital in the study of how situations affect human conduct and
behavior.
Conclusion
The Stratford Prison experiment is significant in the study of Psychology dealing with
how human beings tend to behave according to the environment or situation they are in.
Despite all the criticism of The Stanford Experiment, we can't completely dismiss this study.
Human beings tend to act according to the situation they are in, as demonstrated by the cruel
guards and the docile prisoners.