愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Stanford psychologist behind the controversial 'Stanford Prison Experiment' dies at 91

Stanford psychology professor Philip Zimbardo gives a lecture on Abu Ghraib prison on the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, Calif., Wednesday, March 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) Stanford psychology professor Philip Zimbardo gives a lecture on Abu Ghraib prison on the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, Calif., Wednesday, March 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Share
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -

Philip G. Zimbardo, the psychologist behind the controversial 鈥淪tanford Prison Experiment鈥 that was intended to examine the psychological experiences of imprisonment, has died. He was 91.

Stanford University announced Friday that Zimbardo died Oct. 14 at his home in San Francisco. A cause of death was not provided.

In the 1971 prison study, Zimbardo and a team of graduate students recruited college-aged males to spend two weeks in a mock prison in the basement of a building on the Stanford campus.

The study was ended after six days as the students playing guards became psychologically abusive and those playing prisoners became anxious, emotionally depressed and enraged, according to the Stanford statement.

Zimbardo was criticized for taking the role of superintendent 鈥 becoming an active participant in the study and no longer a neutral observer.

鈥淭he outcome of our study was shocking and unexpected,鈥 Zimbardo would later co-write with one of the graduate students who was part of the project.

The experiment is now used in psychology classes to study the psychology of evil and the ethics of psychological research with human subjects, Stanford said.

Zimbardo's research also included persuasion, hypnosis, cults, shyness, time perspective, altruism, and compassion, Stanford said.

Zimbardo is survived by his wife, Christina Maslach Zimbardo, three children and four grandchildren.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING

BREAKING Interest rate drops to 3.75% as Bank of Canada makes another cut

The Bank of Canada made a sizable cut to its key lending rate Wednesday from 4.25 per cent to 3.75 per cent as the global economy continues to expand. The half percentage point cut is the fourth rate cut in a row by the central bank as inflation dropped from 2.7 per cent in June to 1.6 per cent in September.

A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

Local Spotlight

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.