The environment and the roles a person takes on tend to have an impact on their thinking and actions. A person who is continually humiliated risks becoming helpless and developing enormous levels of submission. On the other hand, a person who is given various powers to perform some roles is likely to develop a norm-like character of functions and capabilities, regardless of their typical nature. Philip Zimbardo experimented at Stanford University, where he studied the impact of the prison environment on prisoners, guards, and prison wardens. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The experiment was conducted in a basement at Stanford University where Philip Zimbardo was a professor of psychology. Eleven participants were recruited, including guards and prisoners, and Zimbardo took on the role of prison director. Prisoners were to be arrested randomly from their homes and taken to the local police. They would then be covered with their faces and taken to the fake Stanford prison. In prison they were stripped naked, given prison uniforms and an identification number which would be used as a name. Their belongings were also taken and locked up. On the other hand, the guards were provided with uniforms similar to those of real prison guards. The experiment lasted only six days, even though it was supposed to last two weeks. In those six days several aspects were observed. First, the guards easily assumed their roles and expressed brutal and sadistic personalities towards the prisoners. They could be grouped into friendly, cruel and very cruel classes. It depended on how they treated the prisoners. At first the prisoners were rebellious. However, they developed a sign of helplessness and over time their submission to the guards developed. Some experienced withdrawal symptoms and continued to cry and want to leave the prison. However, their supposed feeling of being in a real prison made them unable to leave as they needed a lawyer to do so. One prisoner was extremely overwhelmed by prison life and could no longer take it. However, when Zimbardo informed him that this was not a real prison, it was a psychological experiment, he told him his name, he felt good and his withdrawal symptoms vanished. This experiment has huge implications for recreational facilities about their roles and what is ethical. First, the behavior of prisoners and guards suggests that the prison environment has a dramatic impact on how participants begin to feel once in prison. Guards take on the stereotypical character of being aggressive, sadistic, and cruel to prisoners. They begin to see prisoners as less human beings. On the other hand, prisoners forget their authentic self and take on that of a criminal. No matter how oppressed they are, they submit more because they feel helpless and less of a human being. According to the experiment, the torture inflicted on prisoners by guards has a substantially negative impact on their mental well-being. The research also highlights the breakdowns in the system in penitentiaries. Correctional centers aim to correct prisoners' misbehaviors and not cause them mental trauma through torture. Zimbardo's prison experiment opens eyes to the impact of a person's environment on their behaviors. Once again it provides insight into how power can influence a person's actions towards other people. The prisoners are not mentally ill or the guards are violent and.