Social Sciences - Standford Prison

General Education Capstone Course

Event/Experience Details and Guideline Form

Gen. Ed. Category Event should be listed under:  Social Sciences

SCC Competency addressed by event: Develop and communicate hypothetical explanations, predictions, and descriptions of human behavior within an historical, spatial, and/or social context.

Event experience Title: The Stanford Prison Experiment/ Abu Graib Prison Scandal,Iraq

Anticipated Learning Outcome.

Be able to analyze a hypothetical situation (Stanford study) generalized to a real-life situation that occurred (Abu Graib Prison/Iraq).

Be able to explain and/or describe the social context of the human behavior of normal people in an unhealthy environment.

Guidelines for accomplishment of event

Watch the video (copy in SCC library) Quiet Rage: The Stanford Prison Study (1990 50 min) OR go to the web site: http://www.prisonexp.org/slide.htm and view an 80-picture slide show of the Stanford Prison experiment.

Research by going to Google or other internet search engine and search for “Abu Graib prison scandal.” What did the U.S. soldiers do to their captors at the Abu Graib Prison in BaghdadIraq in 2004?

Answer the following discussion questions on the www.prisonexp.org web site (#2, 4, 10, and 12) in a narrative journal writing format. Then write a comparison of both prison situations, discussing how the soldiers/guards in both instances got so out of hand.  Explain from a basic social standpoint the effects on both prisoners and the guards how the environment can lead to behavioral change.

Event Contact Name: Library for video and/or internet access for other research

Event Contact Phone number: 636-922-8000

Event Contact e-mail: www.prisonexp.org/slide.htm

SCC Event Creator:  Beth Finders, Barb Sullivan

Estimated Time for full completion (include: making contact/appointment; attending activity; travel; and journal consideration and entry) 2 hours