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Briefing
24 out of the 75 volunteers who signed up were selcted due them being the most physically and emotionally stable. Most of the participants were predominantly white, middle-class, male college students. They were given a briefing on this day about the fact that they would be under surveillance and that some of their basic rights would be suspended. The prisoners and guards were also chosen randomly by the flip of a coin. Guards were also told to maintain order but not to use physical violence. -
Period: to
Expected duration of experiment
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Appearances
Prisoners were given a standard uniform consisting of an loose smock, a stocking cap, and a heavy chain around their right ankle. Each prisoner was also made to wear a number. Guards wore a plain khaki shirt and trousers and carried wooden batons. Furthermore, they also wore refelcting sunglasses which meant that the prisoners were unable to see their eyes. This could make them feel more scared that the guards would be looking at them and they wouldn't know. -
Day 1: Starting point
12 participants chosen as prisoners were arrested at home in broad daylight and taken to the "jail" in Standford County Jail where they were read their rights and formally booked. They were taken to their cells blindfolded to make them confused about their whereabouts. They were then stripped and deloused and the guards started degrading them. -
Surroundings
They stayed in a psychology lab in Standford University which was 6 feet long and 9 feet wide. A small closet measuring 2 ft x 2 ft x 7 ft was converted into a solitary confinement room. An even smaller room formed the prison yard. The rooms were secretly bugged and there was an observation screen equipped with voice recorders at one end of the corridor, -
Day 2: Rebellion starts
The prisoners rebelled on the second day by locking themselves in their rooms. The guards had to call for reinforcements and using fire extinguishers, they forced the prisoners out of their room. 8612 was one of the ringleaders and he was placed in The Hole. The guards took out their frustration on the other prisoners by waking them several time at night to do menial tasks as well as hurling insults at them and making them do exercises. -
8612 leaves
8612 wanted to leave but was not allowed. Eventually, he went back to his cell and showed severe signs of distress but he was actually just acting. He was released from the experiment soon after. -
Day 3: Increased level of fear
Prisons was dismantled and prisoners moved to another building.
However, prisons were set up again and the guards were furious. They increased their level of control, dominance and humiliation. -
Day 4: 819 rebels and 416 on a hunger strike
819 barricaded himself in his cell and refused to take part in the count. Due to his disobedience, the other prisoners had to do mindless tasks disabling any form of relationships to form among the prisoners. 819 wanted to leave but he heard bad things being said about him and changed his mind. However, he left eventually. A reserve, Prisoner 416, was called in to replace 819. He was harrassed abd in return, he went on a hunger strike -
Day 5: Breaking point
416 was sent into The Hole. Other prisoners were punished for his disobedience. They were encouraged to take out their anger and frustration on 416 directly by banging on the door of The Hole as well as kicking it while shouting negative things about him. By the end of the day, 4 other prisoners had broken down and had to be released. Meanwhile, Zimbardo's girlfriend, Christina Maslach, visited the prison and showed Zimbardo the reality of his experiment. -
Day 6: Experiment stopped earlier than expected
The experiment was stopped after Zimbardo realised the brutality of his experiment.
