Symbolic Interaction in Interpreting Milgram Experiment and Stanford Prison Experiment

Introduction

Symbolic interactionism is considered as a theory that focuses on the relationship of individuals within a society. The association is stated to depend on the social worlds of the individuals. The paper explores the application of the symbolic theory on the Milgram experiment and Stanford Prison experiment to find out how different world classes of the individuals affects their relationship on both occasions.

Milgram’s Experiment

Observation on Milgram’s shock experiment that involved considering the obedience to authority and personal conscience included the use of punishment such as shock. In this regard, the trial had different classes of participants as there were the learners and the teachers. In the test, the teachers considered symbolic interactionism theory by obeying the order from their leader(Carter & Fuller, 2015). The analysis included asking a various question to the learner, and when the student gave a wrong answer, he was to be administered with shock as he was strapped to a chair that had an electric shock. In this regard, the teacher sometimes may felt no need to apply the shock to the student, but he had to obey the instructions from the experimenter (Derren, 2007).

The test indicated that applying the symbolic interactionism theory, the leader’s high authority forced the teacher’s to administer the shock. The electric shock could arise a conflict between the learner and the teacher (Derren, 2007). However, the students could continue experiencing the trauma and answering the questions due to respect from the instructors and the experimenter as they had a class difference. The tutors could be termed to be inhuman, but according to the theory, their cruel was temporarily created by the associations with the experimenter (Carter & Fuller, 2015). Additionally, the theory states that the exchange of meaning through language and symbols is believed to create sense in an interaction between different class (Derren, 2007). In this regard, in the Milgram shock experiment, the learners were said to express their pain by laughing, stuttering or biting lips. The interaction of different class included experimenter who dressed on a grey lab coat, teacher and the learner (Derren, 2007).

Stanford Prison Experiment

The experiment was conducted by Zimbardo and his colleagues, who established a situation in which the participants were put into a prison-like environment and treated the same way as prisoners (AnotherBoringWeek, 2013). In this regard, symbolic interactionism theory is applied to identify how the prisoners could respect the correctional officers due to the class difference (Carter & Fuller, 2015). The detainees were forced to perform hard and dirty duties, including washing toilets with their bare hands. Additionally, the interaction between the inmates and the corrections officers resulted in temporary behaviours that were caused due to class difference and the environmental condition. The class could be observed as the guards dressed in identical uniforms of khaki, and they carried a whistle around their neck (Crossman, 2020).

Moreover, there was a difference in interaction as the guards wore dark sunglasses that could prevent eye contact between the prisoners and the guards. According to the symbolic interactionism theory that was created by the guards by treating the prisoners harshly, for instance, waking the detainees at night by blowing whistles caused the inmates to adapt the prisoner-like behavior that including forming a rebellion (Crossman, 2020). The prisoners’ interaction with the guards forced them to develop respect to them as they could perform any of the duty assigned to conduct (AnotherBoringWeek, 2013). The interview and the selection of the participants, including the guards and the prisoners included individuals who were mature, least involved in antisocial behavior, physically and mentally stable. However, the prison keepers and the prisoners changed their behavior because of the interaction of different classes (AnotherBoringWeek, 2013).

The prisoners had to develop rebellion behavior where they could remove their caps, put their beds on the doors and rip their numbers. The act forced the guards to use force on them and demand for reinforcement to assist them in defeating the prisoner. Interaction of prisoners created solidarity on them considering prisoner 819 who cried and broke down when the priests were talking was taken to another room to rest and to be treated differently with the other prisoners. The prisoner indicated solidarity when he refused to be taken away from the experiment after he heard the other prisoners calling him a lousy prisoner as he did mess in their cell (AnotherBoringWeek, 2013).

Furthermore, the inmates’ interaction with different class including the guards and the treatment forced them to express communication by language and symbols as of the symbolic interactionism theory where prisoner 8612 was observed screaming, in the cells (AnotherBoringWeek, 2013). The symbolic of punishing the prisoners by the guards was not regarded as bad considering that the guards followed the order from the Prison Superintendent Zimbardo. The punishment included stripping the prisoners naked, forcing them to wash toilets with bare hands and making other prisoners sit on their colleagues while doing press-ups. The guards thought to follow Zimbardo’s rule without caring, whether it may cause harm to the detainees as he was of high job position level. In this regard, the symbolic interaction could change their usual behavior in interacting with other individuals (Crossman, 2020).

References

AnotherBoringWeek (Director). (2013). The Stanford Prison Experiment [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_LKzEqlPto#action=share

Carter, A. M., & Fuller, C. (2015). Symbolic Interactionism. Northridge: Sociopedia.isa.

Crossman, A. (2020, January 30). What is Symbolic Interactionism? Retrieved from ThoughtCo: https://www.thoughtco.com/symbolic-interaction-theory-3026633

Derren, B. (Director). (2007). Milgram Experiment [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6GxIuljT3w