October 21st, 2024

Philip Zimbardo, psychologist behind the 'Stanford Prison Experiment' dies at 91

Philip Zimbardo, renowned for the Stanford Prison Experiment, passed away at 91. His research on human behavior, shyness, and altruism left a lasting impact on psychology and education.

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Philip Zimbardo, psychologist behind the 'Stanford Prison Experiment' dies at 91

Philip Zimbardo, a prominent psychologist best known for the Stanford Prison Experiment, passed away on October 14 at the age of 91 in San Francisco. His research significantly contributed to understanding how environments shape human behavior, particularly through the controversial 1971 experiment that demonstrated the psychological effects of perceived power and authority. Zimbardo's work extended beyond this experiment, covering topics such as shyness, altruism, and the bystander effect. He founded the Stanford Shyness Clinic and authored influential works, including "Shyness: What It Is, What To Do About It." Throughout his career, Zimbardo received numerous accolades, including the presidency of the American Psychological Association and the Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in Psychology. He was also known for his engaging teaching style, inspiring many students to pursue careers in psychology. Zimbardo's legacy includes the Heroic Imagination Project, which encourages individuals to act heroically in challenging situations. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.

- Philip Zimbardo was a key figure in psychology, known for the Stanford Prison Experiment.

- His research explored the impact of situational forces on human behavior.

- Zimbardo founded the Stanford Shyness Clinic and authored several influential books.

- He received multiple awards, including the presidency of the American Psychological Association.

- Zimbardo's work continues to influence the field of social psychology and education.

Link Icon 6 comments
By @tptacek - 6 months
At a quick skim, this doesn't seem to mention all the controversy over the validity of that experiment:

https://gen.medium.com/the-lifespan-of-a-lie-d869212b1f62

By @readthenotes1 - 6 months
Too ironic "To this day, it is used as a case study in psychology classes to highlight both the psychology of evil as well as the ethics of doing psychological research with human subjects."

should read

"To this day, the thoroughly debunked session is used as a case study in psychology classes to highlight both the psychology of 'publish or perish' as well as the fundamental flaws in the science psychology pretends to have"

But it doesn't, because that would require the field admitting it is deeply flawed

By @gjsman-1000 - 6 months
Reminder that psychology is in a reproducibility crisis; with ~30%-50% of studies being unable to be reproduced.

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/11/psycholo...

In which case, it's fairly safe to say... you're not that much worse off by following your gut and flipping a coin.

By @worstspotgain - 6 months
Discovering Psychology on PBS was a great series.
By @JohnMakin - 6 months
Kind of sad that this piece published by stanford, a supposed beacon of academic excellence and rigor, does not mention at all the issues with this now debunked study.