Which of the following best describes the main point of the Stanford Prison Experiment?

• A. Emotional responses are primarily determined by physiological arousal.
• B. Personality traits are the strongest predictors of aggressive behavior.
• C. Situational factors and assigned social roles can powerfully influence individual behavior, sometimes leading to abusive actions.
• D. Group therapy is the most effective way to treat emotional disorders.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the context of the Stanford Prison Experiment, which was a psychological study conducted to investigate how situational factors and assigned roles influence behavior.
2. Step 2: Recognize that the experiment involved participants assigned to roles of prisoners and guards in a simulated prison environment, observing how these roles affected their actions and attitudes.
3. Step 3: Note that the main finding was that the social situation and the power of assigned roles can lead individuals to behave in ways that are unexpected, including abusive or aggressive behavior.
4. Step 4: Compare the given options to identify which best captures this core insight about situational influence rather than personality traits or physiological arousal.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description is that situational factors and assigned social roles can powerfully influence individual behavior, sometimes leading to abusive actions.