What Happens when you Put Good People in a Place Surrounded by Evil?

In the summer of 1971, Stanford University Professor Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues came up with an experiment to look into the effects of power by studying the roles in prisons: prisoners and guards. After putting out an advertisement for the experiment, Dr. Zimbardo received seventy-five applications. Every applicant was offered $15 a day and was only told they were partaking in a psychological experiment about prison life. Each man underwent a series of tests including personality tests, physical tests, and background tests.In the beginning of the interviews, Dr. Zimbardo asked each student if they would prefer to be a prisoner or guard. Most of the men said they would rather be a prisoner because it seemed easier.

After careful and strategic consideration, twenty-four college men who were seen as the most mentally and physically stable, most mature, and had no previous drug contact were chosen as the experimentees. Zimbardo and his team then separated the group of men by a simple coin flip. After two students were set as reserves, and one last minute drop-out, the team was left with an uneven ratio of eleven guards to ten prisoners.Zimbardo met with the group of guards and explained that they each were specifically chosen and that their job was to guard the prison and inmates. Each guard had to wear a specific uniform with glasses, to insure no eye contact. He then went on to inform them that they must not refer to this as an experiment anymore, only prison. Each guard was instructed to work eight hours and be on-call for the remainder of the time.

Next were the unlucky prisoners. Police men in their cars went out and rounded up all the participants in their own homes. They were told their crimes, handcuffed, and blindfolded as they were transported to the Stanford University basement where Dr. Zimbardo had transformed it into a prison with cells. The guards then continued to undress and clean the prisoners, finishing with dressing them in 'dresses" and nylons on their head. The inmates were only to be known by the number on their gowns, and nothing else. Zimbardo's goal was to take away as much manhood and individuality as he could. According to McLeod, 'Guards were instructed to do whatever they thought was necessary to maintain law and order in the prison and to command the respect of the prisoners. No physical violence was permitted."As the experiment begin, the guards showed to be taking advantage of their power. Demanding authority, screaming, and even waking up the prisoners at 2:30 in the morning to do push-ups. The inmates even started falling into their roles, obeying instructions and even siding with the guards.

Then, things got out of hand really fast. On the second day, a group of inmates decided to go against authority by ripping off their assigned numbers and the nylons and barricaded the door with their beds. The group of guards on a shift called in the other guards to help break into the 'cell." With no luck getting inside they resorted to other measures, using a fire extinguisher to spray the inmates away from the door. Once inside, they continued to throw out all the beds and completely strip the young men. As a form of punishment, the inmates had to do push-ups, even with other men on their backs. As the day went on, the guards started to get more aggressive and demanding deeds that seemed unreasonable. Since the guards were in control, the prisoners had to obey them, they even tried to get others in trouble for their own benefit.One prisoner started to feel the evil effects of the experiment by day three. This prisoner went by the number 8612. He was disobedient to the guards and threatened to leave. After a confrontation with some guards, he learned that he could not leave. According to McLeod, 'Soon #8612 'begin to act ?crazy,' to scream, to curse, to go into a rage that seemed out of control." It wasn't until this point that the psychologists realized they had to let him out." After his release, the inmates started to form an escape plan.

The following day was visitation day. Parents and friends were welcome to come and talk to prisoners. Since Zimbardo was scared of word to travel to the families about the inside of the prison, the inmates could shower, eat a good meal, and even played music over the intercom. (McLeod) After the visits, the guards went back to their usual harassment this time a little worse. They were forcing them to do '...repetitive work such as cleaning toilets with their bare hands." as McLeod said.

Other turn of events had a Catholic Priest come and talk to the prisoners. When he asked them their names, many replied with their number assigned to them. When it was prisoner #819 turn to individually talk to the chaplain, he instantly broke down and cried. Zimbardo and his team of psychologists decided to have him change out of his uniform and go sit in a different room. Back in the 'jail," the guards made the other prisoners chant 'Prisoner #819 is a bad prisoner. Because of what Prisoner #819 did, my cell is a mess, Mr. Correctional Officer." (McLeod) This made things worse for the prisoner. The psychologists found him hysterically crying and agreed to let him go.

This was the end of the experiment. Dr. Phillip Zimbardo's original plan was to run the fake prison for two weeks, it ended after six days. There was so much psychiatric distress from the guards, prisoners, and even Zimbardo himself. That was the power of power, how someone can gain control and turn evil. Interviews followed after and showed surprising things. Most of the men who were the guards didn't believe they acted the way they did. Some even said their actions scared them!

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