The Stanford Prison Experiment

Lindsay Graham (0:09)

It's August 15th, 1971, at Stanford University in California. 22-year-old Douglas Corby steps carefully as he descends a staircase. He's wearing handcuffs, his ankles are shackled together, and he's blindfolded. So it's no surprise that after a few cautious steps, Douglas trips. Two sets of hands, though, firmly grip his arms and stop him from falling, and then together, all but dragged by his captors, Douglas continues down the stairs. But despite being bound and chained, Douglas is not afraid, because he's volunteered to put himself in this unusual situation. A few days ago, Douglas read an ad in the college paper offering students the chance to earn $15 a day. All they had to do was participate in a two-week psychological study of prison life.

Like many students, Douglas is usually short of cash, so he applied in the hopes of making an easy $200. Now his participation in the study is just beginning, and as the handcuffs bite into his wrists, Douglas can't help being impressed at how accurately the organizers have mimicked the prison experience. Douglas shuffles forward another few paces before he's roughly yanked to a stop. His blindfold is pulled off, and Douglas winces at the bright fluorescent lights overhead. The other students acting as prison guards then remove his handcuffs, and Douglas flexes his wrists in relief.

Even though he knows this is what he signed up for when he joined the experiment, Douglas' heart still skips a beat as one of the guards opens the door to a cell. When Douglas hesitates, the guard gives him a firm shove in the back to hurry him along. Inside the bare cell are two other men sitting on bunks. Both wear identical prison uniforms. Douglas slumps down on an empty bunk near his glum companions. And for the first time, Douglas questions whether the discomfort of the next two weeks is really going to be worth $200.

This research project is the brainchild of psychologist Professor Philip Zimbardo. It aims to investigate whether the inhumane treatment of prisoners in American jails is due to the personalities of the guards or has more to do with the prison environment itself. But what starts out as a well-meaning study will soon descend into chaos. Critics will condemn the behavior of participants and accuse the organizers of unethical practices well after the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment will end just six days after it started on August 14, 1971

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From Noiser and Airship, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is History Daily.

History is made every day. On this podcast, every day, we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is August 14th, 1971, the Stanford Prison Experiment.

It's August 14th, 1971 at Stanford University's Psychology Department, one day before the first prisoners are locked up in Dr. Philip Zimbardo's research project. 18-year-old Dave Eschelman leans back in his seat and taps a pen against a notebook. He's been told to sit here and await further instructions, and he's not alone. With him are eight other students, and judging by their whispered conversation, Dave can tell that they're just as in the dark about this research project as he is. A few days ago, Dave responded to an ad in the Stanford School newspaper about a new study into prison life, and then got a call asking him to report to the Psychology Department today, where he'll receive further instructions.

Dave and the others have been waiting for a while now, though, and he's beginning to wonder whether they've been forgotten about when the door opens and a man carries in, apologizing for the delay. He introduces himself as Philip Zimbardo, the professor behind the study. Professor Zimbardo says that 75 people applied for the experiment and that the nine students here have been successful in gaining a spot. Dave is pleased at the prospect of earning some cash, and his smile widens when Professor Zimbardo reveals that a toss of the coin has made the men in this room prison guards.

Dave doesn't know exactly what the experiment will involve, but he is sure he'd rather be a guard than a prisoner. Over the next few moments, Professor Zimbardo outlines the experiment. For two weeks, Dave and the other guards will act as jailers to nine participants who've been designated as prisoners. All the guards must do is maintain law and order. How they do that will be largely left up to them. There are only three basic rules. They cannot physically harm the prisoners. They can't deprive them of food or water, and the prisoners can withdraw from the study at any time. Then, as the briefing ends, Dave is handed a khaki uniform, a wooden baton, and a pair of mirrored sunglasses. Looking at the costume, Dave loves it. He has a background in drama and decides to immerse himself in this new role. He figures the experience will be more fun that way. All Dave needs now are some prisoners to guard. And that part of the experiment kicks in the following day with frightening realism.