### The Stanford Prison Experiment: A New Documentary Explores the Controversial Study
In 1971, psychologist Philip Zimbardo at Stanford University initiated what would become one of the most notorious psychological experiments ever: the Stanford Prison Experiment. This study, involving college students acting as guards and prisoners in a mock prison setting, aimed to investigate the psychological impacts of perceived power and authority. However, the experiment quickly descended into chaos, as “guards” displayed increasingly abusive behavior towards “prisoners” within just a few days. Although the study was halted after merely six days, its implications have persisted for years, igniting extensive discussion regarding the ethics of psychological research and the complexities of human behavior.
Now, over 50 years later, National Geographic has debuted a new documentary series titled *The Stanford Prison Experiment: Unlocking the Truth*, directed by Juliette Eisner. This series reflects on the contentious study, incorporating interviews with original participants, reenactments of pivotal moments, and insights from Zimbardo himself. The documentary not only brings fresh insights into the experiment but also calls into question the enduring narrative that has surrounded it.
### A Fresh Perspective on an Old Story
Eisner began developing the documentary amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when many individuals were contemplating societal issues, including the protests against police violence in 2020. She grew intrigued by the Stanford Prison Experiment and noted how the dominant narrative had consistently been shaped by Zimbardo’s interpretation of events. Few of the original participants had been interviewed regarding their experiences, and Eisner aimed to alter that.
“I wanted to hear from those people,” Eisner expressed to Ars Technica. “They were very challenging to locate. Most of them were still known only by an alias or prisoner number.” After successfully reaching out to several original participants, Eisner found that their accounts frequently contradicted the commonly accepted narrative. “Every time they answered the phone, they were like, ‘Oh, I’m so glad you called. Nobody has reached out to me in 50 years. And by the way, everything you believe you know about this study is incorrect.'”
At first, Eisner aimed to refute the experiment, but as her investigation progressed, her focus shifted. She became increasingly captivated by the significance of storytelling and the ways in which narratives, even if flawed, can influence public perception. “Even when stories are filled with falsehoods or manipulations, they can still captivate our imaginations in ways that we should perhaps be cautious of sometimes,” she remarked.
### The Documentary’s Structure
The three-part documentary series encapsulates Eisner’s investigative journey. The initial episode, “The Hallway,” provides the conventional narrative of the experiment that has prevailed for the past five decades. The second episode, “The Unraveling,” explores criticisms and refutations of the study, showcasing interviews with original participants who present alternative viewpoints. The concluding episode, “A Beautiful Lie,” convenes the original participants in Los Angeles for a reenactment of the experiment featuring professional actors, and includes a dialogue with Zimbardo himself.
The reenactment was filmed in a setting designed to mirror the basement of Stanford’s Jordan Hall, where the original experiment was conducted. “We genuinely needed visuals to help animate many of these stories,” Eisner remarked. “Despite Zimbardo claiming he recorded the entire ordeal, he actually only filmed six hours throughout six days. So we required that visual toolkit, which also allowed us to explore these different perspectives.”
### A Controversial Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment sought to investigate how social roles, group identity, and situational elements might shape behavior. Zimbardo selected 24 male college students, who were randomly assigned to be either guards or prisoners. The “prisoners” were apprehended by local police, processed, and brought to the mock prison, where they encountered various forms of psychological mistreatment from the “guards.”
The guards swiftly began exhibiting ever more sadistic behavior, while the prisoners grew increasingly passive and obedient. One prisoner, Doug Korpi, suffered a mental breakdown after just 36 hours and was withdrawn from the study. Although the experiment was intended to last two weeks, it was terminated after six days when Zimbardo’s then-girlfriend, Christina Maslach, visited the site and was appalled by her observations.
While the experiment is frequently cited as proof of how power can corrupt, it has also faced significant criticism for its ethical shortcomings and flawed methodology. French researcher Thibault Le Texier has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics, asserting that Zimbardo manipulated the study to yield the outcomes he desired. Le Texier’s assertions are supported by several original participants, who have come forward in the NatGeo documentary to share their narratives.
### Playing to the Camera?
One of the most striking revelations
