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Table of contents What's This?
  • Acquisition Information
  • Information about Access
  • Ownership & Copyright
  • Cite As
  • Biographical/Historical Sketch
  • Description of the Collection
  • Arrangement
  • Processing Information note

  • Language of Material: English
    Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives
    Title: Philip G. Zimbardo papers
    creator: Zimbardo, Philip G.
    Identifier/Call Number: SC0750
    Physical Description: 256 Linear Feet 182 boxes
    Date (inclusive): 1953-2017
    Abstract: The materials consist of research and teaching files, professional files and correspondence, audiovisual materials, professional papers and articles, and materials documenting the Stanford Prison Experiment.
    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.
    Physical Location: Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged 36-48 hours in advance. For more information on paging collections, see the department's website: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/spc.html.

    Acquisition Information

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

    Information about Access

    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.
    Materials must be requested at least 48 hours in advance of intended use.

    Ownership & Copyright

    All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.
    Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

    Cite As

    [identification of item], Philip G. Zimbardo Papers (SC0750). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

    Biographical/Historical Sketch

    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.

    Description of the Collection

    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.

    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.

    Processing Information note

    This collection was processed by Jenny Johnson and Daniel Hartwig with assistance from Kim Saloner, Sarita Hinojos, and Miriam Palm.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Time perspective
    Political psychology
    Jonestown Mass Suicide, Jonestown, Guyana, 1978
    College teachers.
    Social Psychology
    College teachers -- Political activity.
    Terrorism
    Prisoners of war -- Psychology
    Psychology -- Study and teaching.
    Prisons
    Mental illness
    Stanford University -- Faculty.
    Psychology -- Experiments.
    Hypnotism.
    Cults
    Cognitive dissonance
    Burn out (Psychology)
    Brainwashing
    Bashfulness
    Bandura, Albert
    Banks, W. Curtis
    Jaffe, David
    Haney, Craig
    Stanford University. Department of Psychology
    Layton, Deborah
    Jones, Jim
    Spain, Johnny
    Layton, Laurence
    Hearst, Patricia
    Zimbardo, Philip G.
    California State Prison at San Quentin
    Zimbardo, Philip G.
    Candid Camera, Inc.
    Funt, Allen
    Abu Ghraib Prison
    Maslach, Christina
    American Psychological Association.
    Carducci, Bernardo J.
    Fraser, Scott C. (Scott Cameron)
    Barbaranelli, Claudio
    Caprara, Gian Vittorio