Academic Scholars Programme - ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment’ and the ethics of consent

Engaging sessions and discussions to stretch our more able students with extension activities. 

As part of the Academic Scholars Programme, Years 7-9 students explored ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment’ and the ethics of consent. English teacher and Academic Scholars Co-ordinator, Emma Low, began with a segregation activity: she divided the class into two groups, with one sitting on chairs and the other on the floor. The group on chairs received a packet of Haribo and had the privilege of passing any unwanted questions to the group on the floor. Students were then asked how they felt about the segregation, why they reacted as they did, and why they complied with instructions. 

Students examined the rapid escalation of events in the ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment’, its ethical challenges, and the role of financial incentives. Discussions covered human behaviour, conformity, and group dynamics. Emma commented: “We had some interesting discussions about why things escalated so quickly when it was only an experiment. We looked at whether it was ethically conducted and whether participants should have received more information before signing up. One scholar noted that adjusting the participants’ payment to today’s values altered perspectives on whether the study should have ended early, despite the trauma experienced by participants.” 

The session concluded with a writing task, prompting students to reflect on key questions: What does the Stanford Prison Experiment reveal about human behaviour? They considered the roles of guards and prisoners, the relevance of misleading participants, and whether normal individuals are capable of cruelty in certain conditions. Students were also asked to reflect on how they might have behaved as guards or prisoners and whether they would have felt distressed. 

Emma said: “I was really impressed with the scholars and their insightful discussion about the topic. Well done everyone!”