BACKGROUND: Think about Phillip Zimbardo’s famous (or infamous) Stanford Prison

BACKGROUND:
Think about Phillip Zimbardo’s famous (or infamous) Stanford Prison Experiment. This social psychology research is one the most recognized studies in the history of psychology. Psychology professionals and students alike recognize this study, as do many non-psychology people in the public domain. The research made Zimbardo a psychology rock star – and served as a shining example of the fun and importance of psychological science. The study provided great publicity for the discipline and helped to recruit many students to major in psychology (or at least to take psychology courses).
In recent years, however, so called whistle-blowers and critics have not only challenged the study’s findings, they have focused on the study’s flaws and accused Zimbardo of gross academic fraud. In an example of psychology’s version of the contemporary phenomenon of ‘cancel culture,’ a host of persons have called for canceling both the study and Zimbardo. Some have gone as far as to demand that the study should be purged from all psychology textbooks. The barrage of critics has caused Zimbardo to defend the study and his reputation with great energy while still acknowledging the study’s flaws.
INSTRUCTIONS: (PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHMENTS FOR THESE ARTICLES)
Read these three brief opinion articles:
Why Zimbardo’s Prison Experiment Isn’t in My Textbook
Twilight of the Stanford Prison Experiment
Time to Dismiss the Stanford Prison Experiment?
Write an initial post giving your opinion on the debate about whether Philip Zimbardo should be cancelled. In your post, consider the following questions:
If the flaws in Zimbardo’s study are linked to fraud, does this justify canceling the Stanford Prison Study and purging it from textbooks?
Or, despite its flaws the Stanford Prison Experiment has served as a positive light for promoting the “gospel” of psychological science to the masses?