power relationship between prisoners and guards

Authority Discussion

Step 1:

YOUR CHOICE – Choose option 1 or 2 and in about 300 words, write an initial post answering the questions below and submit (NO QUOTATIONS – if you want to use information from your text or video, paraphrase and cite your source in APA format).

1. Watch this video on the Stanford Prison Experiment  (please note that this film does contain some adult language and sensitive material) and make sure to read about Dahrendorf’stheory of authority in your textbook.  Answer the following questions:

What is the power relationship between prisoners and guards? Is this relationship dichotomous? Why or why not? Is it an example of an imperatively coordinated association? Why or why not? How does Zimbardo’s experiment demonstrate that authority resides in social positions rather than individuals?

Briefly explain your own insights regarding the experiment and its relation to authority and/or to other sociological concepts.