The Stanford Prison Experiment

---

How's it going, fellas?

- Hi.

- Hi. How you doing?

All right.

Comfortable?

Uh, yeah.

Sure.

Okay. Question one.

Have you ever talked

to a psychiatrist

or a psychologist

about an emotional problem?

Uh, no.

Nice.

Have you ever felt

you needed help

with an emotional problem?

Uh...

No.

Have you ever attempted

to kill yourself?

Wow.

Uh, no.

No.

In the past year, have you

consumed any alcohol or...

- Yes.

- Illegal drugs?

Illegal drugs?

Um, yes.

Do... is this...

this is going on record?

If I say "no,"

that means that I can be in it?

Not necessarily.

It's $15 a day?

- Yeah.

- That's correct.

No, I haven't had any alcohol

or anything like that.

Have you ever given in to

an aggressive urge or impulse?

Uh, what do you mean by that?

Like, domestic violence

or rape, incest...

- No, no, no, no.

- Things of that nature.

- No.

- No.

I go to Stanford.

Okay.

Have you ever experienced

any emotional problems

associated with

your sexual interests

or your choice of

a sexual partner?

Does love count?

If you'd like it to.

Okay, then no.

Why do you want to

participate in this study?

To be honest,

financial gain.

I could use a little cash

this summer.

I just saw the $15 a day.

I was looking through the ads,

and it was just...

the most interesting.

If selected for

this study,

would you rather be

a guard or a prisoner?

I don't think I have

the qualities to be a guard.

Prisoner.

Prisoner, I guess.

I-I wouldn't want to be a guard.

- Prisoner.

- A prisoner.

Prisoner.

A prisoner sounds like

it would be a little less work.

Prisoner.

Why's that?

Nobody likes guards.

All right,

we got a heads.

So we can just put him

over there,

yeah,

with the prisoners.

Last one.

You want the honors?

Heads again.

He's a prisoner.

Okay, so the last

one's a guard.

Exactly.

Well, guys,

I think we have our prisoners

and our guards.

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

I am Dr. Phil Zimbardo,

professor of psychology

here at Stanford University.

Welcome to orientation.

You're gonna be

very pleased to know

that you all have been chosen

to be the prison guards

in this study.

And that choice was made based

upon the exemplary qualities

that you all demonstrated

during your interviews.

So good for you.

This experiment will be

an extension of my research

into the effects prisons

can have on human behavior.

And being that it's summer

and the school's almost empty,

we should have near complete

privacy for this study.

And as you'll soon see,

we have cleared out

some of the teachers' offices

and converted them

into prison cells,

and the hallway will serve

as the prison yard.

But remember,

just as you are watching

the prisoners,

my graduate staff and I

will be watching you.

So under no circumstances

whatsoever are you to hit

or physically assault

the prisoners in any way.

Now, you'll all be given

sunglasses and uniforms

to give the prisoners a sense

of a unified,

singular authority.

Once a prisoner is jailed,

he will not be able to leave,

except under

established procedures.

And from this point forward,

you should never refer

to this as a study

or an experiment again.

A lot of these books,

I don't even know

where I got them.

The perils of

moving in together.

What are you

thinking about?

The experiment?

No, experiment's routine.

You know, I'm gonna be away

for two weeks,

and then...

And then you are

gonna be starting

your new job.

You make it sound like

it's in a different state.

Berkeley is an hour

up the road.

Oh, that I know.

It's just I don't know

what the guys and I

are gonna do without you.

Phil...

No one's ever gonna

take me seriously and...

and my career seriously

until I go out there

and prove it on my own.

Hey...

It could have been

New York.

I made this decision

for us.

I know.

I know.

I know.

It's just...

You know what?

Nobody deserves this

more than you.

You were a great

student of mine.

And you're gonna be

a great professor.

Thank you.

Now wait a second.

You did miss a spot

right over there.

Hey!

You can't fall for that.

Come on!

Get out of here.

Get out of here.

Hey. You Daniel Culp?

Uh, yeah.

That's...

That's the name

they gave me.

I'm placing you

under arrest

for violation of

California Penal Code 211,

armed robbery.

Hey, my brother

didn't do anything.

Uh, they know that.

Everything will be fine.

Gogo on, tell Mom

I won't be home for dinner.

She'll understand.

It's okay.

Hands on the car and spread 'em.

Which one of us

should start?

Well, I'll do it.

Okay,

feet apart.

Wider.

I said "wider. "

You guys,

this doesn't have to be...

Just keep your hands

on the wall.

Okay, just keep your hands

on the wall.

Um, put your head down.

Uh, and take off

your shoes.

Uh...

Oh, oh.

Okay.

Um...

Put your hands

at your sides.

Now I want you to strip.

Uh, really?

Maybe I could have

some privacy first...

Shut up!

And strip.

And put your clothes

on the floor.

Oh, man.

Put your clothes

to the right.

The shirt.

Don't we have

to delouse him first?

Oh, sh*t.

Uh, stay where you are.

Ah, oh.

Right.

Jesse.

Ah.

You made it.

I'm so happy. I'm so happy.

- Yeah.

- Very, very, very good.

Uh, everybody,

this is Jesse Fletcher.

He's gonna consult with us

on the experiment.

We got Paul, Kyle,

and you remember Mike.

- Hey.

- Yep.

Hi.

Why don't you

pull up a chair?

What?

Why me?

Just do it.

All right.

Put your arms

above your head.

F***.

Wow.

Hey, Phil,

um,

I don't mean to be rude,

but what qualifies him

to be here?

Well, he's got experience.

You're kidding, right?

Okay, boys,

let's take her down there

and show her

just how pretty she looks.

All right, listen up.

From now on, you will be known

as Prisoner 8612

and only as 8612.

And you will,

at all times,

refer to us

as Mr. Correctional Officer.

You got it?

Uh, yeah,

I got it.

What was that?

I mean, yes, sir,

Mr. Correctional Officer, sir.

Yeah, good.

All right,

um,

let's take her down

to cell number two.

All right.

Let's get the next one.

Hey.

What are you doing in here?

You're missing everything.

What?

You brought me here

to legitimize this experiment,

and there's nothing legitimate

about this place, Phil.

You're right.

You're right.

I didn't explain it well.

Prisons, they represent...

a loss of freedom,

literally

and symbolically.

Yeah, but that does not explain

why they're wearing dresses.

They're wearing dresses,

Phil.

Yes, I understand.

Uh...

We're trying to strip away

their individuality...

Make them uniform,

feminize them.

Feminize them?

Yes.

Feminize them.

Take away all the things

that make them them.

You see, we're trying

to understand

how an institution

affects an individual's

behavior.

We're trying to do something...

We're trying to do

something good.

Hey, man.

I'm Daniel.

Uh, that's Jeff.

Hey.

I'm... I'm Peter.

Well, nice to meet you,

comrade.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes