What Was the Independent Variable in the Stanford Prison Experiment- Unveiling the Manipulative Force Behind the Infamous Study

What was the independent variable in the Stanford prison experiment?

The Stanford prison experiment, conducted in 1971 by Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues, is one of the most famous psychological studies in history. The experiment aimed to investigate the psychological effects of perceived power and authority on individuals. The independent variable in this study was the role assigned to participants. Specifically, half of the participants were randomly assigned to play the role of prison guards, while the other half were assigned to play the role of prisoners. This manipulation of roles served as the independent variable, as it was the factor that the researchers controlled and varied to observe its effects on the participants’ behavior and psychological state.>