What social factor was Zimbardo primarily studying with the prison experiment?

• A. Social norms.
• B. Social roles.
• C. Social scripts.
• D. Conformity.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context of Zimbardo's prison experiment: This study, conducted in 1971, aimed to investigate how individuals conform to social roles, particularly in a simulated prison environment.
2. Define the key terms: Social roles refer to the expectations, behaviors, and norms associated with a specific position in a social context (e.g., guard or prisoner). Social norms are the unwritten rules about how to behave in a group. Social scripts are culturally provided mental instructions for how to act in specific situations. Conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group norms.
3. Analyze the focus of the experiment: Zimbardo's study was designed to observe how participants adopted and internalized the roles of guards and prisoners, demonstrating the power of social roles in shaping behavior.
4. Eliminate incorrect options: While social norms, social scripts, and conformity are related concepts, the primary focus of the experiment was on the adoption and influence of social roles.
5. Conclude that the correct answer is 'Social roles,' as the experiment highlighted how individuals conformed to the expectations of their assigned roles in a simulated social structure.