In August 1971, a makeshift prison in the basement of Stanford University became the site of one of the most controversial studies in the history of psychology. Intended to last two weeks, the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE) was halted after just six days as the boundary between "role" and "identity" dangerously dissolved for both guards and prisoners.

In this episode of Your Mind On, host John Shaw dives deep into the chronology of those six days—from the initial "arrests" to the psychological warfare and eventual breakdown of the simulation. We explore:

• The "John Wayne" Persona: How stereotypes and researcher influence may have shaped the guards' sadistic behavior.

• The Abu Ghraib Parallel: A look at how the SPE’s findings on systemic "bad barrels" were later mirrored in the real-world abuses in Iraq.

• Modern Critiques: Was the experiment a groundbreaking discovery or a scripted performance? We examine recent reports of faked breakdowns and direct researcher manipulation.

• Personal Reflections: John shares insights from his own military deployment in Iraq and discusses how these psychological principles apply to current challenges in law enforcement and professional oversight.

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Music Credits: Intro and Outro music: "More Now Than Ever" by North Sphere.

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