PSYC 215 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Stanford Prison Experiment, Fundamental Attribution Error, Role Conflict
Document Summary
Role: set of behavior expected of someone in a particular position in a social system. E. g. , occupational roles, family roles, roles in typical interactions, gender roles. Role conflict: when the expectation of two roles one has requires incompatible behaviors. Role distance: experiencing and communicating that one"s role is not a reflection of one"s true self. Role identification: experiencing a role as a reflection of one"s true self. Just like in an orchestra or a stage play, when people play roles they can create. This can be uplifting, as in a wedding ceremony or in the theater. Certain situations and roles can produce destructive behaviors. Power of situation often is not noticed, leading to fundamental attribution error. Prison situation often involves hostility, abusiveness, and confrontation. Half of the participants were assigned to be prisoner; the others were guards. As people enacting their roles and their behaviors, things started to turn ugly.
