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.

Go-go 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, shit.

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.

Fuck.

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.