Philip G. Zimbardo papers, 1953-2017

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Summary

Abstract:
The materials consist of research and teaching files, professional files and correspondence, audiovisual materials used in the classroom, professional papers and articles, and materials documenting the Stanford Prison Experiment.
Extent:
256 Linear Feet 182 boxes
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Philip G. Zimbardo papers (SC0750). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection documents the life of noted American psychologist Philip G. Zimbardo. The materials consist of Dr. Zimbardo's research and teaching files, professional files and correspondence, audiovisual materials used in the classroom, professional papers and articles, and materials documenting the Stanford Prison Experiment, for which he is perhaps best known.

Biographical / historical:

Philip Zimbardo was born on March 23, 1933 in New York City. He attended Brooklyn College where he earned a B.A. in 1954, triple majoring in psychology, sociology and anthropology. He then went on to earn his M.A. in 1955 and his Ph.D. in 1959 from Yale University, both in psychology.

He taught briefly at Yale before becoming a psychology professor at New York University, where he taught until 1967. After a year of teaching at Columbia University, he became a faculty member at Stanford University in 1968.

Philip Zimbardo is perhaps best known for the Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted in the basement of the Stanford University psychology department in 1971. The participants in the study were 24 male college students who were randomly assigned to act either as "guards" or "prisoners" in the mock prison.

The study was initially slated to last two weeks, but had to be terminated after just six days because of the extreme reactions and behaviors of the participants. The guards began displaying cruel and sadistic behavior toward the prisoners, while the prisoners became depressed and hopeless.

Since the famous prison experiment, Zimbardo has continued to conduct research on a variety of topics including shyness, cult behavior and heroism. He has a authored and co-authored numerous books, including some that are widely used in university level psychology courses. Some people may recognize him as the host of the Discovering Psychology video series, which has aired on PBS and is often used in high school and college psychology classes. In 2002, Zimbardo was elected president of the American Psychological Association. After more than 50 years of teaching, Zimbardo retired from Stanford in 2003 but gave his last "Exploring Human Nature" lecture on March 7, 2007.

Today, he continues to work as the director of the organization he founded called the Heroic Imagination Project. The organization promotes research, education and media initiatives designed to inspire ordinary people to act as heroes and agents of social change.

Acquisition information:
This collection was donated by Philip G. Zimbardo to Stanford University, Special Collections in multiple accessions from 2011-2017.
Processing information:

University Archives staff (with assistance from Kim Saloner, Sarita Hinojos, and Miriam Palm).

Arrangement:

The materials are arranged in nine series: Series 1. Audiovisual Materials; Series 2. Born-Digital Materials; Series 3. Professional Files; Series 4. Publications and Writing; Series 5. Research Files; Series 6. Stanford Prison Experiment; Series 7. Teaching Files; Series 8. Oversized Materials; Series 9. Restricted Materials; and subsequent accessions.

Physical location:
Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged 48 hours in advance. For more information on paging collections, see the department's website: https://library.stanford.edu/libraries/special-collections.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Boxes 9 and 9A in Series 6 (Stanford Prison Experiment) are restricted to protect participant privacy.

Files in Series 9 (Restricted Materials) are restricted for 75 years from date of creation.

Otherwise the collection is open for research; audiovisual materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy. Computer media series materials are in-process and currently unavailable.

Terms of access:

While University Archives is the owner of the physical and/or digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.

Preferred citation:

Philip G. Zimbardo papers (SC0750). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:
Stanford University Archives, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6064, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Website