The Lucifer Effect

Paper instructions:
Psychology 30: Lucifer Effect Paper

Description of Paper Assignment

Prepare a 8-10 page book report on the Lucifer Effect. You are to apply what you’ve learned about Social Psychology throughout the paper—please cite your sources properly.

For this paper, please thoroughly answer the questions below using examples from your Lucifer Effect book to demonstrate your understanding. Each question or set of questions will be multiple sentences or paragraphs to thoroughly cover each topic. Please note, you are NOT to use essay format—that is, you are to keep the questions in the document and put each response below the relevant question. However, please remember, this is a formal semester paper, so it is expected that you will use proper grammar and spelling, your sentences and paragraphs are in proper format, and you give thorough responses with properly cited details. Lastly, this report relates to the entire book (with the exception of chapter 15. Although interesting, you may skip the reading in chapter 15).

1. What is the book about and who is the author? Then, give an introduction for the book by giving an overview.
2. Why was this book written when there are several articles and book chapters that have already been written?
3. What is the basic premise of the Lucifer Effect? Please include details to support your answer.
4. What is the evidence that Zimbardo uses for the Lucifer Effect? Note: there are several pieces of evidence, one being the Stanford Prison Experiment. Also, please include your thoughts about whether or not the evidence is sufficient to support the premise or argument.
5. What were the details (or methods and results) of the Stanford Prison Experiment (see chapters 2-9)?
6. What are Zimbardo’s conclusions from the Stanford Prison Experiment (see chapter 10)?
7. Describe the ethical problems with the Stanford Prison Experiment. What does Zimbardo mean by “relative” and “absolute” ethics.
8. What are some of the effects of the Stanford Prison Experiment? That is, what events or insights (from others, Zimbardo, or the participants) came after this study?
9. Describe other research findings or real-world events that show situational power (see chapter 12). What are some things of which we should be cautious? Please note: this could get exhaustive but I’m looking for well-developed paragraphs here (about two to three should be sufficient). This chapter probably includes the most “evidence” for situational power, and is very interesting.
10. What are Zimbardo’s contentions about deindividuation, dehumanization, and inaction? What is his evidence?
11. What is the parallel between the Stanford Prison Experiment and the events at Abu Ghraib? (see chapter 14).
12. How do we resist situational influences (please explain each, don’t just list them… of course)? What are some real-world examples of people who have done this?
13. Please include a statement of why you think Zimbardo titled the book Lucifer “Effect” as opposed to “Affect.” This is interesting to think about, and perfectly captures his premise.
14. What are other real-world examples to which the Lucifer Effect applies?
15. What are your conclusions after having read this book and writing the paper.