The Dark Side of Science: The Horrific Stanford Prison Experiment

The Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted in 1971 by psychologist Philip Zimbardo, aimed to investigate the psychological effects of perceived power and authority in a simulated prison environment. Participants were randomly assigned roles as either prisoners or guards. The experiment quickly spiraled out of control as the guards began displaying abusive and dehumanizing behavior towards the prisoners. The study was terminated prematurely due to ethical concerns and the psychological distress experienced by the participants. The Stanford Prison Experiment highlighted the potential for ethical violations and the dangers of unchecked power dynamics in research settings.