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