Writing Assignment Chapter 2 Sociological Investigation

SOC 101
Name Celena Robison_________________________________________________
1. As we discussed in class, the prison experiment conducted at Stanford by Dr. Philip
Zimbardo in the 1970s was and still is a very controversial study.
Explain Zimbardos hypothesis in your own words. How did he and his colleagues test
that hypothesis?
Phillip Zambardo wanted to know if violent behavior in prison was a result of the
environment.
The research team conducted an experiment reconstructing a prison in the basement of
Stanford University. Twenty-four students were chosen to either participate as a prison or
a guard.
Do you think Zimbardos Stanford County Prison experiment was ethical? Why or why
not? Defend your position.
I don't think it was ethical because of the physical and psychological harm it caused the
students during the experiment. The prisoners were humiliated and dehumanized by the
guards. Mental or physical abuse of people and animals is against the law.
What did social scientists and educators learn from Zimbardos experiment?
The conclusion supported Zambardos hypothesis that prison violence is a result of the
environment and not from the individual personalities of the people within the prison. I
think the authoritive power the guards had over the prisoners influenced the guards to act
aggressively toward the prisoners, in response the prisoners retaliated.
2. Look through several newspaper stories that provide statistical data in support of some
claim. Assess the extent to which the data are valid. Does the article present variables that
appear to be correlated? Are any claims made about cause-and-effect? Is there a sample
used? If so, what population does the sample appear to represent?
The article I am evaluating claims that eating brain boosting foods high in antioxidants
and lowering cholesterol can prevent Alzheimers disease. My research leads me to a
medical journal specifically looking at the antioxidants vitamin E and vitamin C. The
animal and laboratory studies demonstrated evidence that antioxidant rich foods high in
Vitamin E protect against Alzheimers disease.
The available evidence on human studies is limited and not consistent. Two
perspective studies of patients who had been prescribed statin drugs found a
significantly lower risk of Alzheimers disease compared with similar patients
who were not prescribed these medications. It is not clear whether the results are
from lowering cholesterol or some other property of the medication. (Morris,
2004)

The evidence in the article seems to indicate a correlation between eating healthy
balance diet rich in antioxidants and Alzheimers disease. The human studies used elderly
people 65 years or older without any cognitive disorders.
Bibliography:
Borreli, L., Dharshini, M. P., Dovey, D., Olson, S., & Cara, E. (2016). 8 must knows before
trying A plant-based diet. Retrieved September 11, 2016, from http://www.medicaldaily.com
Morris, M. C. (2004). Diet and Alzheimers Disease: What the Evidence Shows. Medscape
General Medicine, 6(1), 48.