The Stanford Experiment

The University of Stanford created a sociological experiment in which students were paid to take part in a fake prison located in the basement of the sociology building. The results were both interesting and shocking. As the time in the "prison" went on, the students took on the personality traits of the roles they played. Guards became more hostile and aggressive while prisoners were more docile and sometimes rebellious. This experiment made me think of two things: the first is the ethical implications of an experiment of this sort. Were the students (and professors for that matter) aware of the possible repercussions of the time spent in the prison, both physical and mental? How far is too far when experimenting on humans? Secondly I put myself in the shoes of the students. Whether I was a prisoner or guard, would I react differently in the prison environment? What kind of person might I become in that situation. Could I compartmentalize my life to allow for an 8 hour shift as a guard to be a time where I become a different kind of person to better fit the role I was playing?
Ethics is a tough subject to tackle in one blog post. So many ideas, beliefs, and presuppositions are involved in looking at a scenario through the lens of ethics. In the Stanford Experiment the prisoners were put into a situation reserved for those being punished for real crimes they have committed. Although they were paid and told what would be happening to them, I do not think that they were properly prepared for what would happen. As seen in an interview after the experiment the students (both guards and prisoners) were in disbelief as to what had taken place. While it seems that no one was physically hurt the psychological pain inflicted is very real and could have some effects on the students. For me, the ethical question is based on the whether the professors and or students involved in creating the experiment knew the possible extent to which the subjects would be effected by being in the prison environment. If they were well aware of the possibilities then ethically the experiment should not have happened.
Personally I wonder what kind of prisoner I would have been... would I be the rebellious one? Would I tap into the small part of me that is introverted and find a way to pass the time quietly? If picked to be a guard, would I enter into the role I was placed and come down hard on the prisoners? Would I see injustice and step up and make things right? I am pretty sure I am inherently not very different than these Stanford students. I am a result of both nature and nurture. I sometimes act like the friends I am around. I am often affected by the situation I am in. So, would I be changed? I don't know... what do you think?