In the Stanford Prison Study, male college students agreed to participate in a two-week experiment to discover what would happen when they took on the roles of prisoners and guards. The researchers found that:

A) within a short time the prisoners became distressed and panicky, developing emotional symptoms and stress-related illnesses.
B) about five percent of the guards became tyrannical, giving the prisoners electric shocks when they were slow in obeying.
C) 90 percent of the guards tried to be "tough but fair" and demanded that the tyrannical guards lighten up on the prisoners because it was only an experiment.
D) the study was conducted in an unused wing of a real prison; therefore, the realistic atmosphere enhanced the role behavior of prisoners and guards.

Answer: A
Rationale: In the Stanford Prison Study, student participants were randomly assigned to be either prisoners or guards. Despite their inherent similarities to the prisoners, the guards either became brutal and callous or simply stood by while others did the dirty work. At the same time, most prisoners acquiesced and passively accepted the brutal treatment. Many also exhibited stress-related symptoms including screaming, crying, and stress-related illnesses. The experiment took place in the basement of the psychology building.