The Stanford prison experiment, led by psychologist Philip Zimbardo in 1971, investigated the impact of situational variables on participants' behavior when they were assigned the roles of guards or prisoners in a mock prison. The experiment was designed to last two weeks but was terminated after only six days due to extreme and distressing behaviors exhibited by participants. Which of the following statements best elucidates the psychological phenomenon observed in the experiment related to the internalization of assigned roles and its implications for understanding human behavior?
1
Guards previously known for ethical behavior began degrading and abusing prisoners, illustrating that situational factors can lead to authoritarian and dehumanizing behaviors.
2
Prisoners showed severe emotional distress and learned helplessness, internalizing their dehumanized status, but some also rebelled, highlighting both situational influences and personal resilience.
3
Some prisoners maintained normal behavior, suggesting that individuals with strong social support and mental toughness can resist negative role influences even under pressure.
4
All guards behaved ethically, supporting the idea that intrinsic moral values can override situational influences, contradicting the primary hypothesis of the study.