Question

1 Explain the stanford prison social experiment, and explain whether you believe if attitude influenced behavior, or vice versa.

2 Define attitude and behavior according to the book.

3 In your opinion, do you believe that attitude influences behavior, or vice versa? Explain.

4 Do you believe that one can predict their behavior? Explain your answer.

5 Explain the Stanford Prison Social experiment, and explain whether you believe if attitude influenced behavior, or vice versa.

Answer 1

• ANSWER-Zimbardo's prison experiment,studied whether the brutal behaviour of the guards was due to the situational factors,i.e. the prison environment or due to the sadistic personalities of the guards.
• Prisoners and guards might have personalities which could make conflicts between inevitable.Prisoners could be lacking the trait to respect law and order and the guards might be dominating and aggressive.This would prove that their inherent attitudes influence their behaviour.
• But,Zimbardo considered the prison's environment to be influencing their behaviours.The situation made them behave the way did.This could mean that their behaviours make the guards adopt a gruesome attitude towards the prisoners.
• I think its both ways,sometimes are attitudes influence our behaviour,and sometimes our behaviour influences our attitudes.
• Attitudes result because of our experiences and upbringing which has an influence over our behaviour.So,if for instance you strongly believe in being strict with breakers of the law,since you have observed that punishment serves the purpose,that would influence your behaviour and would make you express dominating and aggressive behaviours over the prisoners to keep them in check.
• And sometimes we are performing certain social roles,which expects us to behave in certain ways,which in turn could influence our attitudes.So,if I am performing the role of a guard,then it is expected of me to be keeping them in check and being aggressive with them whenever needed,this behaviour could influence my attitude towards them,that prisoners are serving a punishment for their crimes,so they have to be dealt with in a strict manner.Prisoners are law breakers.
• Due to time limit,remaining questions can be asked as another question,they will be answered,thankyou for your cooperation