Psychology

1. You need to create definitions for the following key terms. Use the link here to support with this Ethics and Psychology | Reference Library | Psychology | tutor2u 

1. Read the following information about the study by Zimbardo in 1973 (see below) and write at least 3 ethical issues which are relevant to Zimbardo. Make sure you fully explain WHY they are issues.  

1. Then consider a response to the following statement ‘Deception in psychology is sometimes necessary’ Consider 2 arguments for and 2 arguments against this statement (other studies you could look at to consider this…. Milgram’s study of obedience, Middlemist’s study of personal space) 

Zimbardo (1973) conducted an extremely controversial study on conformity to social roles, called the Stanford Prison Experiment. 

His aim was to examine whether people would conform to the social roles of a prison guard or prisoner, when placed in a mock prison environment. Furthermore, he also wanted to examine whether the behaviour displayed in prisons was due to internal dispositional factors, the people themselves, or external situational factors, the environment and conditions of the prison. 

Zimbardo’s sample consisted of 21 male university students who volunteered in response to a newspaper advert. The participants were selected on the basis of their physical and mental stability and were each paid $15 a day to take part. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two social roles, prisoners or guards. 

Zimbardo wanted to make the experience as realistic as possible, turning the basement of Stanford University into a mock prison. Furthermore, the ‘prisoners’ were arrested (they were unaware this was going to take place) by real local police and fingerprinted, stripped and given a numbered smocked to wear, with chains placed around their ankles. The guards were given uniforms, dark reflective sunglasses, handcuffs and a truncheon. The guards were instructed to run the prison without using physical violence. The experiment was set to run for two weeks. 

Zimbardo found that both the prisoners and guards quickly identified with their social roles. Within days the prisoners rebelled, but this was quickly crushed by the guards, who then grew increasingly abusive towards the prisoners. The guards dehumanised the prisoners, waking them during the night and forcing them to clean toilets with their bare hands; the prisoners became increasingly submissive, identifying further with their subordinate role. 

Five of the prisoners were released from the experiment early, because of their adverse reactions to the physical and mental torment, for example, crying and extreme anxiety. Although the experiment was set to run for two weeks, it was terminated after just six days, when fellow postgraduate student Christina Maslach convinced Zimbardo that conditions in his experiment were inhumane. [Maslach later became Zimbardo’s wife]. 

Zimbardo concluded that people quickly conform to social roles, even when the role goes against their moral principles. Furthermore, he concluded that situational factors were largely responsible for the behaviour found, as none of the participants had ever demonstrated these behaviours previously. 

Register and complete the tutor2u transition course for A level psychology. The course provides great insight into some of the core theories which underpin psychology as a subject 

Transition to AQA A-Level Psychology | 2025 Specification Getting Started | tutor2u 

Register on the open university and complete one of the free open learn courses and don’t forget to print off your certificate of completion!  

Starting with psychology | OpenLearn – Open University  

Psychological research, obedience and ethics | OpenLearn – Open University  

Investigating a murder with forensic psychology: Week 1: Introduction | OpenLearn – Open University (https://www.open.edu/openlearn/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=142136  

Forensic psychology | OpenLearn – Open University  

Understanding mental capacity | OpenLearn – Open University  

The role of diagnosis in counselling and psychotherapy | OpenLearn – Open University  

Prepare a folder (A4 lever arch) and print a copy of the specification to go in the front (Psychology AS and A-level 7181, 7182 Specification ) 

You will need the following in your folder to support a smooth start to Y12:  

• Dividers  

• Plastic wallets  

• Blank revision cards  

You may also find punched plastic wallet pockets useful for storing revision cards (see image)  

Email address preston.n@allsaints.notts.sch.uk  

For the best chance of a quick reply, please do this before the summer break. Emails during the summer break will get replies but may take longer.