Episode 274: The Stanford Prison Experiment

Episode 274: The Stanford Prison Experiment

From Not Today by Not Today

March 31, 2026 · 1h 20m

About this episode

This episode discusses the Stanford Prison Experiment and its psychological implications.

In 1971, the Stanford Prison Experiment, led by psychologist Phillip Zimbardo, was supposed to be a two week simulation of prison life that aimed to study the psychological effects of power and authority. Student volunteers were randomly assigned to be prisoners or guards and were given instruction by Zimbardo based on their role. Once the experiment began, things very quickly escalated, leading to the study being terminated after only six days.

People in this episode

Host: Not Today

Topics covered

  • psychology
  • power dynamics
  • authority
  • experimentation
  • social behavior

Keywords

  • Stanford Prison Experiment
  • psychology
  • power
  • authority
  • Zimbardo
  • social experiment
  • prison life

More episodes of Not Today

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Not Today podcast page.