Briefly describe each ethical issue, problem, or flaw you found in the Stanford Prison Experiment.

The Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971, aimed to study the psychological effects of perceived power in a simulated prison environment. However, it raised several ethical concerns and flaws:

Informed Consent:

Issue: Participants did not provide fully informed consent. They were not adequately aware of the potential physical and psychological harm they might experience.
Ethical Concern: Lack of informed consent violates the principle of respect for persons and their autonomy, a violation of ethical standards.
Ethical Evaluation Today: If conducted today, the experiment would likely still be considered unethical due to the inadequate informed consent. APA Ethical Code 8.02 emphasizes the need for informed consent.

Deception:

Issue: Participants were deceived about the nature of the experiment and the roles they would play.
Ethical Concern: Deception undermines the principle of beneficence and the participant’s right to make informed decisions about their involvement.
Ethical Evaluation Today: The same research would still be considered unethical due to the use of deception, which is addressed in APA Ethical Code 8.07.

Harm to Participants:

Issue: The experiment caused significant emotional and psychological distress to participants, leading to some experiencing long-lasting negative effects.
Ethical Concern: The potential for harm was not properly minimized, contravening the principle of beneficence and non-maleficence.
Ethical Evaluation Today: The same research would likely be considered unethical due to the potential harm inflicted on participants, a violation of APA Ethical Code 8.04.

Lack of Debriefing:

Issue: The experiment lacked proper debriefing for participants, failing to address the psychological distress they experienced.
Ethical Concern: Debriefing is essential to ensure participants understand the nature of the experiment and address any potential harm.
Ethical Evaluation Today: The same research would still be considered unethical due to the absence of proper debriefing, as outlined in APA Ethical Code 8.08.

Lack of Oversight:

Issue: The experiment was conducted without proper oversight, failing to intervene when ethical concerns emerged.
Ethical Concern: Lack of oversight compromises the welfare of participants and the ethical responsibility of researchers.
Ethical Evaluation Today: The same research would likely be considered unethical due to the absence of proper oversight, which is addressed in APA Ethical Code 8.10.
In conclusion, the Stanford Prison Experiment suffered from serious ethical issues and flaws, including lack of informed consent, deception, harm to participants, lack of debriefing, and lack of oversight. If conducted today, the experiment would still be considered unethical due to its disregard for participant welfare and violation of key APA ethical codes related to informed consent, deception, minimizing harm, debriefing, and oversight.